French police arrested 416 people overnight after celebrations of Paris Saint-Germain’s (PSG) Champions League final win over Arsenal turned violent in Paris and other cities, injuring seven officers.
The French Interior Ministry said the arrests included more than 280 in Paris, where about 20,000 supporters gathered on the Champs-Élysées. Police fired tear gas to disperse crowds after some fans threw fireworks and vandalised property.
Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez condemned the disorder as “absolutely unacceptable” and said one of the injured officers was seriously hurt.
Authorities had deployed about 22,000 officers nationwide, including 8,000 in the capital, anticipating trouble. Footage on social media showed burning vehicles and damaged shopfronts as flares lit up central Paris.
The scenes echoed last year’s celebrations, when PSG’s first European title was marred by violence that killed two people, including a 17-year-old, and led to more than 500 arrests.
Official celebrations were due to continue on Sunday with a victory parade at the Champ de Mars near the Eiffel Tower and a reception hosted by President Emmanuel Macron.
