France Police Detain Hundreds After PSG Champions League Win Against Arsenal in Budapest

Police in France detained hundreds of people after Paris Saint-Germain’s Champions League final victory against Arsenal, with the match decided on penalties in Budapest.

“PSG fans go wild after Champions League win Police in France have detained more than 280 people in Paris after violent clashes erupted when thousands poured onto the streets after Paris Saint-Germain’s victory in the Champions League final”

Al Jazeera

Al Jazeera reported that France’s interior ministry said 416 people were detained nationwide, including 283 apprehended in Paris, after violent clashes erupted when thousands poured onto the streets.

Al Jazeera

DW said the French Interior Ministry reported at least 326 people arrested nationwide, with 235 taken into custody in Paris, after riots began earlier when Arsenal had taken a lead against PSG on penalties.

The Guardian said French police detained 780 people involved in violent clashes in Paris and other French cities, and it reported that Laurent Nuñez said 57 officers were wounded.

NPR said the unrest led Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez to say 780 people were detained in Paris and other cities and 57 officers were wounded, as football fans set off fires and vandalized shops overnight.

Laurent Nuñez condemned the chaos as “absolutely unacceptable,” and Al Jazeera said he called the unrest “absolutely unacceptable” while reporting seven officers wounded.

DW also quoted Le Pen’s reaction, saying “only in France does the victory of a football club spark riots,” and it added that she said “Only in France does everyone feel compelled to lock themselves in their homes on a night of victory to avoid being confronted with violence.”

AP News

The Guardian said Nuñez told a news conference that the situation had largely been brought under control, and it described police intervening five times overnight to prevent people from blocking traffic on the main ring road around Paris.

NPR said Macron condemned the violence and quoted him saying, “I don't want that we get used to it,” while also saying “This is not soccer, this is not sport, this is not what we love.”

Le Monde.fr described the political and legal fallout, saying Ibrahima B. appeared in the defendants’ box at the Paris Court of Justice on Monday, June 1, in the 23rd Correctional Chamber.

Despite the overnight clashes, Al Jazeera said PSG’s players will take part in a parade on Sunday afternoon on the Champ de Mars in front of the Eiffel Tower, before they are received by President Emmanuel Macron at the Elysee Palace.

The Guardian said Nuñez also told reporters that planned celebrations for the team’s win on Sunday afternoon at the Champ de Mars, near the Eiffel Tower, would go ahead as scheduled.

NPR said the event at the Eiffel Tower drew up to 100,000 supporters under high security measures, after the team was hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron at the Elysee presidential palace.

BBC reported that the French Interior Ministry said 416 people were arrested in the early hours of Sunday, including 280 in Paris, and it said Nuñez described the disturbances as “absolutely unacceptable.”

Le Nouvel Obs reported that there were 22,000 police in France including 8,000 in Paris and its metropolitan area, and it said overall there were 780 arrests nationwide, up 32% from last year.