The celebration of Paris Saint-Germain's victory in the UEFA Champions League escalated into nationwide chaos across France after many fans clashed with police, resulting in over 400 arrests. Several officers were injured, while public property and numerous shops suffered significant damage.
The major riot occurred from Saturday night into early Sunday local time in France, following Paris Saint-Germain's (PSG) victory over Arsenal in a penalty shootout in Budapest, Hungary. Approximately 20,000 fans gathered on the iconic Champs-Élysées in Paris to celebrate the triumph.
However, the celebration quickly turned violent as hardcore fans ignited flares and smoke bombs, seized and blocked the city's ring roads, paralyzing traffic. They also vandalized public property, smashed windows, looted shops, set electric scooters on fire, and destroyed bus stops, forcing police to use tear gas to disperse the frenzied crowd.
France’s Ministry of the Interior reported that police arrested a total of 416 rioters nationwide, including 283 arrests in Paris alone. Paris Police Chief Laurent Nuñez stated that seven officers were injured during the clashes and condemned the behavior as completely unacceptable.
Reports indicated that six cars were damaged and two shops—including a bakery and a restaurant near PSG’s home stadium, Parc des Princes—were destroyed. Over 5,000 fans gathered outside the stadium, with about 150 hardcore supporters attempting to break through gates, throwing bottles and objects at police, and using rental bikes to block access.
To prevent serious incidents, French authorities deployed 22,000 police officers nationwide, including 8,000 in Paris. They also suspended tram, metro, and some bus services in affected areas. The unrest occurred amid a busy night in Paris, featuring a major concert by Aya Nakamura at Stade de France, a rap concert by Damso, and the French Open tennis tournament.
The chaos raised fears of a repeat of the 2025 incident when PSG won their first championship, during which riots claimed two lives, including a 17-year-old boy. Consequently, many shops on the Champs-Élysées preemptively boarded up windows this year for safety.
The incident quickly became a political issue, with far-right party leader Marine Le Pen posting sharply on the X platform, criticizing the government: "Only in France does a football club victory turn into riots, and only in France does everyone feel they must lock themselves indoors on a night of triumph to avoid facing violence."
Despite the ongoing tension, PSG plans to hold a victory parade this afternoon (31 May) at the Champ de Mars in front of the Eiffel Tower, expecting over 100,000 fans to attend, before the team and staff meet President Emmanuel Macron at the Élysée Palace.