On Saturday, May 31, Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) achieved a historic milestone by winning the UEFA Champions League for the first time, triumphing 5-0 over Inter Milan. However, this momentous occasion was overshadowed by alarming incidents and tragedies across France.
The long-awaited victory has finally come for PSG fans, with a match that showcased overwhelming dominance from the team led by Luis Enrique. Despite the celebratory atmosphere, numerous disturbances and tragic events marred the joyous occasion.
Widespread Arrests
According to reports from TF1-LCI and Le Parisien, 559 individuals were arrested during the night. Paris accounted for a significant portion of these arrests, with 491 detained. Currently, 320 are in police custody, including 254 in the capital. Additionally, 22 law enforcement officers, 18 of whom were in Paris, sustained injuries amidst the celebrations. Seven firefighters were also injured during the unrest.
Significant Property Damage
On the famous Champs-Élysées, numerous store windows were vandalized, and several boutiques fell victim to looters. The Parisien reports that a “Foot Locker” store was particularly targeted before police intervened to deter any further incursions. Other businesses, including shops on Rue Pierre de Serbie and two locations on Avenue de Wagram, also sustained damage.
Firefighters battled 148 fires throughout the nation, including 46 vehicles torched, three of which were near the Parc des Princes. Outside Paris, various shops belonging to brands like Sephora and Lacoste were damaged in Annemasse (Haute-Savoie), while in Pau (Pyrénées-Atlantiques), around a hundred individuals vandalized a bus and destroyed windows of a Lacoste store, as well as a nearby school. Similar instances were reported in Nantes (Loire-Atlantique), where a bus was vandalized by a large crowd.
A Tragic Human Toll
For supporters, the night took a tragic turn, transforming what should have been a celebration into a grim reality. By Sunday morning, authorities reported 192 injuries and two fatalities.
The first victim, a 17-year-old in Dax, was fatally stabbed in the chest and later succumbed to his injuries, as stated by BFMTV. The circumstances surrounding this tragic incident remain unclear. The second victim, a 20-year-old, was struck while riding his scooter in the 15th arrondissement of Paris by a car occupied by supporters.
In Grenoble, two teenage boys, aged 17, and two women aged 23 and 46 from the same family, were run over by a driver on Cours Jean-Jaurès. The two women and one of the teenagers were reported in critical condition, while the other teenager’s injuries were less severe. The driver was reported to have shown no signs of alcohol or drug consumption, as per the assistant public prosecutor’s report.
In Coutances, Manche, a police officer was placed in an artificial coma after being struck in the face by a firework launched by a crowd of supporters.
Statements from Laurent Nuñez
At midday, Paris Police Prefect Laurent Nuñez held a press conference to provide an update on the chaotic scenes in the city following the match:
“We experienced intense points of tension around the Parc des Princes and the Champs-Élysées,” he stated. He criticized the “bands of looters and vandals” that surged into Paris after PSG’s victory.
He noted, “Many individuals were clearly there to confront law enforcement rather than watch the match” and claimed that “thousands of people arrived to commit acts of violence.” In response to the escalating incidents around the Champs-Élysées, he explained that an “order was given to use water cannons to prevent a surge towards the Étoile at the 51st minute of the second half.” Nuñez also made an effort not to “stigmatize the supporters of Paris Saint-Germain.“
Regarding law enforcement, he reported that “nine police or military personnel suffered minor injuries” in the capital, while “192 individuals were injured: four in serious condition and 188 with minor injuries.“
Published on June 1 at 11:25 AM by Jérémie Pol, 6Medias