Chijioke Gabriel
The French Interior Ministry has confirmed that two people have died and hundreds have been arrested across France after Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) fans celebrated the club’s victory in the Champions League final.
In the south-west town of Dax, a 17-year-old boy died after being stabbed in the chest late on Saturday evening, local media reported.
A 23-year-old man who was riding a scooter in central Paris was also killed after being hit by a vehicle, the prosecutor’s office said.
Flares and fireworks were set off, bus shelters smashed and cars torched amid wild celebrations as PSG won the biggest prize in European club football for the first time in their history.
PSG condemned the violence in a statement, adding that these “isolated acts are contrary to the club’s values and in no way represent the vast majority of our supporters”.
French President Emmanuel Macron said the clashes were “unacceptable” and unjustifiable, and that those involved will be found and punished.
The club’s victory parade in central Paris went ahead on Sunday afternoon despite the clashes, but with an increased police and military presence on the ground.
Police set a cap of 100,000 fans for the event, which saw PSG make their way down the Champs-Élysées to the Arc de Triomphe on an open-top bus.
A second commemoration is currently taking place at the club’s home stadium, Parc des Princes, with thousands of fans invited to celebrate their win.
France’s interior ministry said 192 people were injured in the clashes in the early hours of Sunday and 559 people arrested, including 491 in Paris.
Twenty-two police officers and seven firefighters were injured, the ministry said, adding that 264 vehicles were set on fire.
One of the officers was injured by a firework amidst the chaos and had to be put in an induced coma – with Macron later saying the officer had travelled to a different city to help with policing efforts.
Paris police prefect Laurent Nuñez said: “The toll is lower than what we have seen in the past, but we will never get used to this kind of abuse, with people who only came to commit acts of vandalism and who did not even watch the match, and we will always have a very firm response.”
Nuñez said police expect there to be further clashes on Sunday, but added that supporters “shouldn’t be mixed up with gangs of looters and vandals”.
