780 arrested in Paris as PSG Champions League win marred by violent clashes
Paris police said smaller groups caused disturbances, with some vandalising shops and setting off fire at several locations.
A car burns and fireworks explode as police watch PSG supporters celebrate in Paris, Saturday, May 30, 2026 after the Champions League final soccer match between Paris Saint-Germain and Arsenal that's being played in Budapest. (AP Photo) More than 780 people were arrested and 219 injured after violent clashes erupted across France during celebrations marking Paris Saint-Germain’s (PSG) second Champions League title, the BBC reported.
French Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez said 57 police officers were injured and more than 450 people remained in custody. Eight people were reported to be in serious condition. One person also died following an accident on Paris’s ring road, which rioters had attempted to block overnight, the report said.
The latest figures mark a sharp increase from the initial toll reported overnight. Earlier, the Associated Press reported nearly 400 people had been detained nationwide, including around 300 in Paris.
Earlier, Nuñez had called the violence as “absolutely unacceptable”, according to AP. He had then told the news agency that rioting took place in about 15 cities across France, and nearly 400 people were detained in all, with nearly 300 of them from Paris alone.
Crowds of rowdy fans set fires and scuffled with police in Paris as Paris St Germain won their second Champions League title, prompting celebrations in the city https://t.co/fnZE1JVz1T pic.twitter.com/xfqBhxn0u4
— Reuters (@Reuters) May 30, 2026
The incident comes a year after violence disrupted the celebrations in May after PSG won the first Champions League title. About 201 people were injured in Paris, with the police making more than 500 arrests across France. Paris was on high alert, with 8,000 police officers deployed across the city, AP noted.
What happened in France?
On Saturday, celebrations began as the final whistle was blown in the evening in Budapest, Hungary, where PSG beat Arsenal during penalties in the finals.
Around 20,000 people gathered on the Champs-Elysees, with some marching along the avenues near the Arc de Triomphe. The main ring road surrounding Paris was also blockaded by a crowd before police dispersed it, AP quoted.
Police try to disperse PSG supporters who left off fireworks as they celebrate in Paris, Saturday, May 30, 2026 after the Champions League final soccer match between Paris Saint-Germain and Arsenal that was played in Budapest, PSG won the game. (AP Photo)
The Paris police prefecture told AP that smaller groups caused disturbances, with some vandalising shops and setting off fire at several locations.
The report alleged that a group attempted to storm a police station in the posh 8th Arrondissement neighborhood of the French capital. They were later dispersed, according to the police.
Visuals from the site show that cars were also set ablaze. Police also shared that a bakery and a restaurant were damaged.
Problems in Paris pic.twitter.com/KOU8r5UF4S
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) May 31, 2026
Last night, by 10 pm, about 45 people were taken into custody.
Police officers worked through the evening to contain about 1,000 people who had gathered near the PSG stadium in the 16th Arrondissement and cleared barricades made with bicycles.
Celebrations to continue as planned
The celebrations for the team’s victory will continue as planned on Sunday afternoon at the Champ de Mars, near the Eiffel Tower, Nuñez told AP.
According to the BBC, around 6,000 police officers have been mobilised for Sunday’s victory parade, where PSG players are expected to take part before attending a reception hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron.
The PSG team will then be hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron at the Elysee presidential palace, he added.
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