Laurent Nuñez Cites 416 Arrests in Paris Riots After PSG Win
Paris riots broke out after Paris Saint-Germain beat Arsenal in the Champions League final, and authorities said 416 people were arrested in the early hours of Sunday, including 280 in Paris. Thousands of officers were deployed in the capital as crowds filled the Champs-Élysées, while police used tear gas to break up unrest in the city centre.
Laurent Nuñez, France's Interior Minister, said the authorities had a "very robust, very solid system in place" and called the violence "absolutely unacceptable". Seven officers were injured, and police said six vehicles, two businesses and a bus shelter were damaged.
Paris and Parc des Princes
PSG supporters gathered on the Champs-Élysées shortly after the club won the final in a penalty shootout. Footage from the city showed flares being set off, electric bikes burning on roads and revellers smashing the glass of at least one shopfront. PSG supporters also clashed with police earlier in the day while watching the final on giant screens at Parc des Princes.
The unrest disrupted bus, train and rail services in Paris, extending the effects beyond the center of the celebrations. Police said the disorder spread across France, not only in the capital, before the arrest total climbed past 400.
Laurent Nuñez and Marine Le Pen
Nuñez's account placed the focus on preparation as much as response, with thousands of officers sent into Paris before the celebrations took hold. Marine Le Pen posted on X: "Only in France does a football club's victory spark riots." She also wrote, "Only in France does everyone feel compelled to lock themselves in their homes on the evening of a victory to avoid being confronted with violence".
There was similar violence when PSG won the same trophy last year, a reminder that Saturday night did not stand alone. PSG players are due to take part in a victory parade on Sunday afternoon, including the Champ-de-Mars next to the Eiffel Tower and a reception held by French President Emmanuel Macron.
