More than 700 people were arrested across France on Saturday and Sunday after celebrations following Paris Saint-Germain‘s (PSG) Champions League final victory over Arsenal descended into disorder. A total of 219 have been injured, according to the BBC.
Authorities deployed thousands of officers in an effort to maintain order as disruption spread across Paris, affecting bus, train and rail services throughout the capital.
Newsweek contacted the Paris police prefecture on Sunday via online form and PSG via email for comment.
PSG’s Shootout Win Sparks Celebrations
The events unfolded on an evening that began with a pre-match performance by rock band The Killers. PSG retained the European title by beating Arsenal 4-3 on penalties in a dramatic final in Budapest that finished 1-1 after extra time.
The French club are only the second side in the modern era to retain the trophy, following European giants Real Madrid.
Announcing the win, PSG stated on X that the club “wins a second consecutive Champions League and continues to write its legend, with all of its supporters.”
The club called on fans to “experience this historic moment with pride, responsibility, and respect so that this celebration reflects the image of this exceptional season: popular, united, and exemplary.”
Police Use Tear Gas as Fireworks and Flares Set Off
However, as supporters celebrated the victory, large crowds gathered across the French capital, particularly along the Champs-Élysées. Police intervened after fireworks and flares were set off during the unrest. Several officers were injured, while tear gas was used to clear crowds from parts of the city center, according to the BBC.
Footage from across the city showed flares illuminating the night sky, electric bikes set alight in the streets and damage to commercial property, including at least one smashed shopfront window. It is the latest in a long line of rioting incidents in the city.
A video posted by local journalist Luc Affrette showed a blazing fire in the middle of a street as crowds ran past and firefighters arrived at the scene. The footage emerged amid reports that the situation had escalated near the Parc des Princes stadium, with multiple fires breaking out in the area. The video has since had over 1.4 million views
Another video posted by Reuters showed electric bikes being thrown onto fires and riot police removing them.
Fans Confront Police at Parc des Princes
Earlier in the day, tensions had already emerged at PSG’s stadium, where supporters watching the final on giant screens became involved in confrontations with police.
Police said six vehicles, two businesses and a bus shelter were damaged during the disorder. By late Sunday morning, Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez said 780 people had been arrested in connection with the violence, with more than 450 remaining in custody, as reported by the BBC. Paris police also confirmed 480 arrests, including 277 people placed in custody, among them 82 minors. The figures were provisional, the Paris prosecutor’s office said. Amid the unrest, a person was found dead following an accident on Paris’s ring road, which rioters had attempted to block overnight.
Around 6,000 police officers have been deployed for Sunday’s victory parade near the Eiffel Tower.
Repeat of Last Season’s Scenes
Similar scenes unfolded when PSG lifted the trophy last year, as reported by BBC, with celebrations ending in fatalities. According to Nuñez, authorities were better equipped this time, with a “very robust, very solid system in place” and called the latest riots “absolutely unacceptable.”
French far-right politician Marine Le Pen stated on X: “The French can no longer stand these scenes of chaos that multiply at the slightest pretext, and this, despite an extraordinary security apparatus. Support for our police officers, our gendarmes, our firefighters, and all those mobilized this evening to ensure the safety of the French.”
The events are expected to prompt renewed scrutiny of crowd control measures around high-profile football matches in the capital and elsewhere.
05/31/2026 12:40 p.m ET: This article was updated with additional information.
