Celebrations following Paris Saint-Germain’s dramatic Champions League final victory over Arsenal turned violent across France, leading to hundreds of arrests and clashes between football fans and police. The chaos mainly unfolded in Paris on Saturday, 30th May, where thousands of supporters flooded the streets after PSG secured a tense 4-3 win on penalties in Budapest.
French authorities said more than 400 people were arrested across the country, with a large number of detentions taking place in the French capital alone. According to the Interior Ministry, at least 235 people were taken into custody in Paris as police struggled to control the crowds.
Fireworks, vandalism and clashes in Paris
Soon after PSG’s dramatic penalty shoot-out victory in the Hungarian capital, Budapest, around 20,000 people gathered on the famous Champs-Élysées Avenue to celebrate. However, the celebrations quickly turned chaotic as some supporters started setting off fireworks, lighting flares and damaging public property.
Videos circulating on social media showed electric bikes burning on roads, crowds smashing shop windows and rioters building barricades using bicycles near PSG’s home stadium, Parc des Princes. Police said several vehicles, businesses and even a bus shelter were damaged during the unrest.
🚨🇫🇷 It's past 3 AM in Paris and there are no signs of things slowing down.
— Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) May 31, 2026
The PSG "celebrations" have rolled into the early morning hours with fires, looting, and clashes still ongoing.pic.twitter.com/WZdeECoqiP https://t.co/sLaaT7iKmr
Police said six vehicles, two businesses and a bus shelter were damaged during the unrest. Seven officers were wounded as a result of the violence.
Authorities also confirmed that the main ring road around Paris, known as the Peripherique, was briefly blocked by crowds before police intervened. Public transport services, including buses and trains, were also disrupted due to the violence.
Police used tear gas to disperse aggressive crowds in different parts of the city. Officials said several officers were injured during the clashes. French Interior Minister Laurent Nunez said authorities had deployed nearly 22,000 police personnel to maintain order in the capital. Calling the violence “absolutely unacceptable,” he confirmed that seven police officers were injured during the unrest.
Meanwhile, French politician Marine Le Pen criticised the situation and said, “Only in France does the victory of a football club spark riots.” According to the French interior ministry, 416 people were detained nationwide, including 283 apprehended in Paris.
Similar violence had erupted last year too
This is not the first time France has witnessed violence after a major PSG victory. Last year as well, celebrations following PSG’s Champions League win over Inter Milan had turned deadly.
More than 500 people were arrested during the 2025 celebrations, while two people reportedly lost their lives in the violence that broke out across different parts of the country. Authorities had feared a repeat of those scenes this year, which is why a massive police deployment had already been arranged before the final.
Over 22,000 police were deployed across France for the game this year, including 8,000 in Paris, due to the violence last year. Shops had already boarded up their windows ahead of the match to avoid a repeat of disturbances last year.
