Following Paris Saint-Germain`s historic Champions League win against Inter (a dominant 5-0 victory in Munich), Paris experienced a night of significant turmoil. While many celebrated the club`s first-ever European title, the festivities unfortunately escalated into widespread chaos, leading to two fatalities and numerous arrests.
According to the Ministry of the Interior, 491 individuals were arrested in the capital alone, primarily during clashes between fans and police on the Champs-Elysees avenue. Across France, a total of 559 arrests were made. Authorities also confirmed two deaths: a man died after his scooter was struck by a car in Paris, and a 17-year-old was fatally stabbed during celebrations in the southwestern town of Dax. However, prosecutors noted that the direct link between the stabbing incident in Dax and the Champions League events was not yet definitively established.
Journalists from Agence France-Presse (AFP) reported seeing police deploy water cannons in efforts to prevent crowds from reaching the Arc de Triomphe.
In a statement, police described the situation on the Champs-Elysees, stating that “troublemakers were attempting to incite disorder and frequently engaged with police by launching powerful fireworks and various projectiles.” Separately, in Grenoble, southeastern France, a vehicle drove into a group of fans, injuring four people from the same family; two sustained serious injuries. The driver subsequently surrendered to the police and is currently in custody.
While the majority of PSG supporters celebrated peacefully across the capital, police documented disturbances near both the Champs-Elysees and the Parc des Princes stadium. At the stadium, 48,000 spectators had gathered to watch Luis Enrique`s team secure the trophy for the first time in history, a moment that was unfortunately overshadowed by the unrest elsewhere in the city.
Benedict Kingsley 
Adrian Whitmore