The French security forces have arrested at least 416 people in different areas of the country after the incidents that occurred following the victory of Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) against Arsenal in the Champions League final. What began as a night of euphoria for the title ended up resulting in numerous altercations, especially in the capital, where 283 arrests have been recorded.
The Minister of the Interior, Laurent Núñez, confirmed these figures in an appearance before the media held at 1:30 a.m. (local time) in the early hours of this Sunday, according to newspapers such as "Le Parisien" or "Le Monde".
At midnight, the provisional count stood at 336 detainees throughout French territory, of whom 235 corresponded to Paris. Hours earlier, the authorities had already reported 326 arrests at the national level, according to the latest balance released by the Paris Police Prefecture.
Thousands of supporters took to the streets to celebrate the triumph of the Parisian team in the final played in Budapest against Arsenal. However, part of those celebrations resulted in episodes of violence and material damage.
Up to 20,000 people gathered on the Champs-Élysées, while the Police launched different operations to manage the massive influx. Large gatherings were also recorded in neighborhoods such as Barbès and Strasbourg-Saint-Denis.
According to Nuñez, at least seven police officers were injured during the night, one of them seriously after suffering a fall in Agen (Lot-et-Garonne), a town located on the banks of the Garonne River where especially violent clashes occurred.
In addition, a kiosk was engulfed in flames and several vehicles suffered significant damage. Groups of individuals also tried to approach a police station in the 8th arrondissement of Paris, although they were dispersed by the officers deployed in the area.
The authorities also reported a brief invasion of the ring road at the level of Porte Maillot, where dozens of people burst onto the roadway before being evicted. In the surroundings of the Parc des Princes, nearly a thousand fans were contained by the Police after the removal of several improvised barricades.
The Prefecture detailed that, within the framework of the security operations, 24 flares and around a hundred firecrackers or pyrotechnic mortars were seized.
Acts of vandalism were also recorded against businesses and urban furniture in different parts of the city.
The riots spread beyond the capital. Incidents were reported in other French cities, such as Grenoble and Toulouse. In Grenoble, pyrotechnic devices were thrown and damage was caused to the windows of several establishments. According to the Minister of the Interior, scenes of looting have occurred in about fifteen cities in the country.
Out of fear of possible clashes, the Ministry of the Interior had preemptively deployed 22,000 police officers and gendarmes throughout the national territory, of which about 8,000 were concentrated in Paris and its metropolitan area.
"Our responsibility is to guarantee everyone a peaceful and totally safe public celebration," the Prefecture of Police had previously stated, which insisted in its instructions on "capacity for response, commitment, and firmness."