State of emergency in Paris after the Champions League final: 294 people were arrested on Saturday night.

Rioters rampaged through the streets, smashing windows, looting shops, and setting several vehicles on fire. The riots were particularly violent on the Champs-Élysées, Paris’s grand boulevard.

With an outstanding 5-0 victory over Inter Milan on Saturday evening, Paris Saint-Germain secured the first Champions League title in the club’s history – and did so with the highest final victory in the history of the competition. But while football history was being written on the pitch, massive riots broke out in the French capital.
According to French police reports, a total of 294 people were arrested on Saturday night. Rioters rampaged through the streets, smashing windows, looting shops, and setting several vehicles on fire. The riots were particularly violent on the Champs-Élysées, Paris’s grand boulevard, which was later cleared by police. Videos on X (see below) show the violence.

The situation also escalated around the Parc des Princes, where tens of thousands of PSG fans were watching the game on public screens. Rioters threw fireworks at the police, who responded with tear gas to bring the situation under control.

French Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau responded with sharp criticism, speaking on X of “barbarians” who had abused the historic evening for their violent actions. The police had done everything in their power to restore public order while “the true fans celebrated football,” Retailleau said.

Incidents were not limited to Paris: in Grenoble, in southeastern France, a driver lost control of his vehicle during victory celebrations and drove into a crowd. Four people were injured, two of them seriously. According to authorities, the victims were members of the same family. The driver later turned himself in to police and is in custody.

Credits: X