France detains 780 after deadly riots follow PSG’s Champions League win

France’s Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez said 780 people were detained and 219 injured, with eight in critical condition, after post-match violence erupted Saturday night.bbc
PSG beat Arsenal 4-3 on penalties in Budapest to claim a second consecutive Champions League title after a 1-1 draw through extra time.yahoo
Nuñez said Sunday that the situation was “largely brought under control” but condemned the unrest, which surpassed last year’s 500-plus arrests after PSG’s first title.ksat

PSG Champions League Win Sparks Riots Across France, 780 Arrested

Paris Saint-Germain’s second consecutive Champions League title — sealed in a dramatic penalty shootout against Arsenal in Budapest on Saturday — triggered one of the most violent nights of football-related disorder France has seen, with 780 people arrested and one person found dead on the Paris ring road.

A Night of Chaos

Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez told reporters on Sunday that 219 people were injured in clashes between fans and police across France, with eight in critical condition. Fifty-seven police officers were also hurt as celebrations devolved into mass disorder in roughly 15 cities nationwide.bbc

Of the 780 detained, 480 arrests occurred in the Paris area alone. The Paris prosecutor’s office said 277 people had been formally placed in police custody, including 82 minors, on allegations ranging from assault on officers to theft, vandalism, and illegal weapons possession. A group of fans attempted to storm a police station in the upscale 8th Arrondissement before being dispersed.ksat

Fans had flooded the Champs-Élysées, where around 20,000 gathered to watch the match on screens, launching fireworks and igniting flares. Trouble erupted early when Arsenal took a sixth-minute lead through Kai Havertz, prompting tear gas deployments and baton charges against crowds hurling chairs and bottles at officers. Cars were set ablaze and shops vandalized as 22,000 police officers struggled to contain the unrest.thesun

A person was found dead after an incident on the Paris ring road, which rioters had attempted to block overnight.youtube

Pre-Match Violence in Budapest

The disorder in France followed violent scenes in the Hungarian capital hours before kickoff. Approximately 60 Arsenal and PSG supporters clashed on Kiraly Street in Budapest’s 7th district at around 00:20 on Saturday morning, exchanging punches and kicks while flares were thrown. Hungarian police launched an investigation into “gang violence” and said they were analyzing CCTV footage to identify those responsible. A British man and two Portuguese nationals were arrested at the fan festival site and charged with disorderly conduct.standard

The Match and Its Aftermath

PSG defeated Arsenal 4-3 on penalties at the Puskás Aréna after a 1-1 draw through extra time, with Ousmane Dembélé’s second-half penalty canceling Havertz’s early opener. Gabriel Magalhães sent the decisive fifth penalty over the crossbar, handing PSG their second straight European crown — the first club to achieve the feat since Real Madrid in 2018.yahoo

Speaking Sunday, Nuñez said “the situation has been largely brought under control” but condemned the violence as “absolutely unacceptable”. Last year, PSG’s first Champions League title produced 201 injuries and more than 500 arrests across France — figures that Saturday night’s disorder surpassed.dw