A football fan died and another is in intensive care after nationwide riots following Paris Saint-Germain's Champions League victory over Arsenal resulted in 400 arrests.
Extraordinary scenes of chaos occurred in Paris, Rennes, Strasbourg and Grenoble after Paris Saint-Germain defeated Arsenal on penalties in Budapest, Hungary, on Saturday evening to win the Champions League final. Fans set off fires and vandalized shops in multiple locations.
A police investigation has been launched into the stabbing of an unidentified 17-year-old man who suffered multiple wounds close to the Champs-Elysees and remains in intensive care. A 23-year-old man died after crashing his motorbike into a concrete block during the unrest.
The Paris prosecutors' office said 277 people have been formally placed in police custody, including 82 minors, for alleged offences. Most allegations involve assault of police officers, while other charges include theft, vandalism and disturbing public order.
Police attempted to disperse Paris Saint-Germain supporters who set off fireworks as they celebrated in Paris. In another serious accident, a driver lost control of a car that rammed into a restaurant's terrace, leaving two people wounded, including one seriously.
Casualties and police response
Interior Minister Laurent Nunez said 57 officers were wounded in total and noted that violence broke out in 15 cities across France. He said planned celebrations for the team's win on Sunday afternoon at the Champ de Mars, near the Eiffel Tower, would go ahead as scheduled, but warned police would respond with "firmness and determination" to any potential violence.
The Paris Saint-Germain team will then be hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron at the Elysee presidential palace.
Around 20,000 people gathered on the Champs-Elysees after the final whistle, where fans marched along avenues near the Arc de Triomphe monument, setting off flares and blaring car horns. Police worked to contain the crowd as disturbances escalated.
Widespread property damage
The Paris police prefecture said smaller groups caused disturbances in various locations, vandalizing shops and setting fires to garbage, self-service bicycles and cars. A small group that attempted to storm a police station in Paris's posh 8th Arrondissement neighborhood was dispersed by police.
Football-related violence is a growing problem in France, following similar scenes last year after Paris Saint-Germain won their first Champions League title. On that occasion, 201 people were injured in the French capital and police made more than 500 arrests across France.
