Widespread arrests and incidents mar PSG’s champions league triumph celebrations in France
Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez confirmed early Sunday morning that authorities had apprehended 780 individuals across France, with 457 taken into police custody, following the celebrations for Paris Saint-Germain’s Champions League victory. He emphatically stated that “these disturbances are utterly unacceptable.”
On Sunday, May 31, Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez confirmed that authorities had apprehended 780 individuals across France during the widespread celebrations that followed Paris Saint-Germain’s (PSG) triumph in the Champions League final. This number represents a notable 32% increase over last year’s figures. Of the 780 arrests made this past night, 457 resulted in formal police custody. In 2025, following the Parisian club’s initial Champions League victory, 592 people were arrested, with 491 of those occurring in Paris. Furthermore, the Minister reported that 57 police and gendarmerie officers sustained injuries amidst the overnight unrest.
Tragically, a fatal motocross accident also occurred overnight from Saturday to Sunday on the Paris périphérique, coinciding with the PSG Champions League victory festivities, as confirmed by the Paris public prosecutor’s office. Eyewitness accounts indicate that the motorcyclist, born in 2002, collided head-on with concrete barriers near an exit ramp on the outer périphérique towards Porte Maillot. Separately, a stabbing incident in the capital left another individual fighting for their life, according to the same official source.
Two Pedestrians Struck
Addressing the situation during a press briefing around 1:30 AM on Sunday, Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez acknowledged, “There were festive demonstrations which were marred by a number of disturbances, a situation we had anticipated and prepared for.”
Additionally, a driver in Paris struck two pedestrians on Saturday evening before fleeing the scene. Witnesses described how the individual “lost control of their vehicle before crashing into a terrace.” The Interior Minister clarified that, to his knowledge, the most severely injured person’s life was “not in danger.”
The prefecture had previously affirmed its meticulous preparation of the security arrangements for the Champions League final, alongside other major events simultaneously taking place in the capital. These included a rugby match, ongoing Roland-Garros tennis tournament fixtures, and several concerts featuring artists like Aya Nakamura at the Stade de France and rapper Damso at the Paris La Défense Arena. A substantial security apparatus was deployed, involving 22,000 police and gendarmerie officers nationwide, with 8,000 specifically assigned to Paris and its surrounding metropolitan area, demonstrating an extraordinary level of preparedness by law enforcement.