Paris Saint-Germain supporters clashed with police across Paris following the team's Champions League victory in Budapest, resulting in nearly 800 arrests and more than 200 injuries. Celebrations began shortly after Gabriel missed a penalty that landed halfway up the stand at the Puskas Arena, securing PSG's second consecutive European title.
Tens of thousands of fans marched from the Parc des Princes, where around 40,000 supporters had watched the final on big screens inside the stadium. Crowds walked singing, cheering, and waving flags while slapping passing cars as swathes of motor scooters sounded their horns alongside them.
Balconies along the streets echoed with cries of "Ici, c'est Paris" as residents watched fans standing out of windows surrounded by red fire and smoke from flares. At one busy intersection, a driver parked in the middle of the road while a passenger jumped onto the vehicle roof to conduct the cheering crowd, as others launched streams of fireworks into the late afternoon sky.
Near the intersection of Boulevard Mourat and Place de la Porte Molitor, a few hundred yards from Roland Garros, white smoke filled the air as blue crowds advanced from Parc des Princes. A bicyclist veered onto the pavement to avoid a car driving through the fumes, which turned out to be tear gas launched into the road in canisters by an individual rather than riot police. Affected passers-by rushed to public water fountains to douse their burning faces as masked fans brandishing flares continued up the street.
Initial celebrations appeared jovial before worsening into full-scale clashes between supporters and law enforcement, with crowds also gathering to celebrate at the Trocadero plaza. The violence mirrored events from last May following PSG's Champions League victory over Inter Milan, when two people died, nearly 200 were injured, almost 300 cars were burned, monuments and buildings were damaged, and shops were looted. In response, authorities deployed larger numbers of riot police this year, using barricades to block roads and funnel crowds down designated avenues.
Police response and street clashes
Even with an earlier kick-off than last year, supporters in the affluent district, described as akin to London's Kensington, began firing handheld fireworks horizontally into groups of passers-by and officers. Police responded with batons, water cannons, and tear gas of their own. Nearby, individuals stood beside flaming Lime bicycles wearing t-shirts reading "F*** ARSENAL 2026."
Around 2 a.m., a gang of topless youths was seen dragging a wheelie bin down the street before returning with the container engulfed in flames. An elderly woman berated the group from her seventh-floor balcony, while another resident waited by her building's entrance to monitor her parked family car. Journalist James Sharpe shared video footage of the street scenes on social media platform X under the handle @TheSharpeEnd on May 30, 2026.
Casualties and police parade plans
By morning, severe casualties and widespread damage were reported across the capital. A 17-year-old fan was placed in intensive care after being stabbed by a gang of thugs near the Champs Elysee, and a 23-year-old motorcyclist died after colliding head-on with a wall. Another gang attempted to storm a police station in the 8th arrondissement, while additional retail shops were raided.
Law enforcement personnel also suffered injuries, including an officer struck by a vehicle whose driver fled the scene. Interior Minister Laurent Nunez confirmed that 57 police officers were wounded during the riots. Despite the unrest, Nunez stated that 6,000 officers have been prepared for Sunday's scheduled victory parade at the Eiffel Tower, which remains planned to proceed as scheduled.