Unruly Celebrations: PSG Victory Parade Disrupted by Multiple Incidents
Multiple events occurred during the PSG parade.
After their historic Champions League win, Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) was met with enthusiastic fans in Paris, yet the joyous occasion was marred by multiple disturbances.
The triumphant parade on the Champs-Élysées and subsequent trophy presentation at the Parc des Princes stadium was overshadowed by renewed chaos, resulting in 79 arrests. Paris police chief, Laurent Nunez, expressed regret over the incidents when speaking to RTL broadcaster, stating that they were not genuine PSG fans causing the disturbances.
In the vicinity of the stadium, troublemakers forcibly placed barriers onto the city's motorway early Monday morning, causing a 15-minute traffic disruption despite the quick intervention of the police. Groups on the Champs-Élysées thrown fireworks and attempted to damage stores, according to the police chief.
Nationwide Unrest
The previous evening's celebrations resulted in 563 arrests nationwide, with 491 in Paris. Out of those arrested, 323 people were held in police custody, primarily those involved in shop looting.
Despite the turmoil, Monday brought more peaceful scenes at the French Open, where PSG presented the trophy to the spectators. Ousmane Dembélé carried the trophy onto the Philippe Chatrier court before the quarter-final match between Novak Djokovic and Cameron Norrie. PSG chairman Nasser Al-Khelaifi cheered enthusiastically from the tribune, alongside French tennis icon Yannick Noah. Over 10,000 spectators warmly welcomed the guests.
Excessive celebration and destructive behavior led to a significant number of arrests and injuries in Paris and beyond. Events included smashed bus shelters, vehicles set ablaze, and two fatalities (one in central Paris and one in Dax). Authorities, including French President Emmanuel Macron and PSG, have condemned the violence. With heightened security, the victory parade proceeded as planned, managing crowds with limits of 100,000 fans along the Champs-Élysées.
Despite the Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) Champions League victory celebrated with fervor across Europe, the victory parade in Paris was disrupted by violent incidents, resulting in 79 arrests and renewed chaos. The troublemakers, according to Paris police chief Laurent Nunez, were not genuine PSG fans as they forcibly placed barriers onto the city's motorway, threw fireworks, and attempted to damage stores.
