Celebrations in Paris took a tragic turn on Saturday following Paris Saint-Germain’s (PSG) victory in the UEFA Champions League final. Riots broke out, leading to clashes between fans and police across the city. According to AFP, atleast 2 people died and the police arrested nearly 559 people after clashes broke out near the city’s Champs-Elysees avenue and PSG’s Parc des Princes stadium, where nearly 50,000 people had watched the match on big screens.The clashes occurred after PSG, a professional football club based in Paris defeated Inter Milan, an Italian professional football club based in Milan in recent UEFA Champions League by 5-0.Flares and fireworks were set off, bus shelters were vandalized and cars were set on fire amid the wild celebrations. The conflict between fans and police officers was shared across multiple platforms in social media.Footage on social media showed cars set on fire, chaotic streets, acts of vandalism, and injured police officers. Police are working to stabilize the situation using tear gas, non-lethal ammunition and water cannons.
Knowing that celebrations in Paris can sometimes get out of control after big soccer matches, PSG forward player Ousmane Dembélé asked fans to stay calm after the final.“Let’s celebrate, but without damaging anything in Paris,” he said in an interview with Canal Plus.French interior minister Bruno Retailleau addressed the situation on social media, saying, “Several thousand criminals are looting stores, destroying what they find, and attacking police officers and firefighters.”“True PSG fans are getting excited about their team’s magnificent performance. Meanwhile, barbarians have taken to the streets of Paris to commit crimes and provoke law enforcement”, he added. At Place de la Bastille, fans celebrated with many singing and dancing in the streets.Many fans blared the horns to express their excitement after PSG’s victory. There was no police nearby, and by 1 a.m., the mood of fans was joyous and cheerful.Security was tightened because police expected possible violence after the match. About 5,400 officers were deployed across the city, including the Champs-Élysées, where they used tear gas and pepper spray to maintain order during the post-match celebrations, as reported by The Guardian.Previously, about three weeks ago, violence broke out after PSG beat Arsenal by 2-1 in the semi-finals to reach the finals.A car crashed into fans and was later set on fire, while shop windows were broken. Riot police tried to control the crowd at 3 a.m., more than 40 people were arrested in the city.
