Celebrations turned violent across France after Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) claimed a historic 5-0 victory over Inter Milan in the Champions League final, becoming the first French team in 32 years to win the title. As fans flooded the streets of Paris and other cities Saturday night, festivities quickly became chaos, leaving two people dead, hundreds injured, and widespread damage.
According to the Interior Ministry, one man was killed in Paris after a car collided with his scooter. In the southwestern town of Dax, a 17-year-old was stabbed to death. Authorities have not confirmed whether the stabbing was directly related to the celebrations.
In Grenoble, located in southeastern France, a car drove into a crowd of celebrating fans, injuring four members of the same family. The driver fled the scene of the incident, according to a report from The New York Times.
The Interior Ministry revealed that nationwide, at least 192 civilians were injured, along with 22 security personnel and 7 firefighters. A police officer in Normandy suffered an eye injury and has been placed in an artificial coma.
A total of 320 arrests have been made, including 254 in Paris alone. The Interior Ministry further reported that 692 fires broke out across the country, with 264 vehicles set ablaze.
After the win, fans filled the streets of Paris riding scooters, singing, shouting, and hanging out of cars. However, celebrations quickly turned destructive against nearby businesses, particularly on the Champs-Élysées, where stores were vandalized and ransacked.
Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau, a likely contender for the 2027 presidential election, condemned the violence, referring to looters as “barbarians.”
“It’s unbearable that it’s impossible to party without fearing the savagery of a minority of thugs who respect nothing,” he said.
