Two people have died and more than 500 have been arrested after disorder broke out during Champions League final celebrations in France following Paris Saint-Germain’s win, the French interior ministry has said.
Wild celebrations erupted across the French capital and beyond after PSG crushed Italian opponents Inter Milan 5-0 to win the Champions League for the first time.
However, skirmishes with police following the win spoilt the party.
The interior ministry said 192 people were injured and there were 692 fires, including 264 involving vehicles.
As of Sunday morning, 559 people had been arrested, including 491 in Paris, which led to 320 people being placed in police custody, the ministry added.
Some 22 members of the security forces and seven firefighters were injured.
A 17-year-old boy was stabbed to death in the western city of Dax during a PSG street party, the national police service said.
A man in his twenties was killed in Paris when his scooter was hit by a car during PSG celebrations, and the driver has been detained, Paris police chief Laurent Nunez said.
“A judicial investigation will determine whether or not it [the fatality in Paris] can be linked to the celebrations. At this stage, it appears to be connected to the festivities,” Mr Nunez told a press conference.
On the boutique-lined Champs-Élysées avenue, bus shelters were smashed and projectiles hurled at riot police, who fired tear gas and water cannons to push back surging crowds as thousands of supporters descended on the area.
Nunez warned that more skirmishes could occur on Sunday as PSG will parade on the Champs-Élysées before celebrating the title with their fans at the Parc des Princes stadium.
“We’re at half-time, so to speak, as this afternoon we have the parade taking place on the Champs-Élysées,” Mr Nunez said.
“Only those attending the parade will be allowed on site. A maximum attendance of just over 100,000 people has been set — beyond that, no one else will be allowed in.
“This evening, there will be a celebration at the Parc des Princes as well. We also expect gatherings around the Place de la Porte-de-Saint-Cloud, and we will respond in the same measured but firm way should there be any attempts to block the ring road, attack law enforcement, or cause further damage.”
The final in Munich was widely watched across Paris, including inside PSG’s Parc des Princes stadium, where the match was broadcast on a giant screen.
However, the 5-0 victory over Inter Milan also led to some unrest, with flashpoints and arrests occurring even during the game.
Outside the stadium, a brief clash erupted during the first half between celebrating PSG fans letting off flares and riot police, who responded with tear gas to disperse the crowd.
At the top of the Champs-Élysées avenue, a water cannon was deployed to protect the Place de l’Étoile, near the Arc de Triomphe. Police reported that a large crowd, not watching the match, attempted to breach a barrier to confront the police.
Mindful of any celebrations getting out of hand, as has often been the case in Paris during high-profile soccer matches, PSG forward Ousmane Dembélé urged fans after the final to show restraint amid their euphoria.
“Let’s celebrate but without breaking everything in Paris,” he told broadcaster Canal Plus.
At the Place de la Bastille, there were joyous scenes as fans climbed onto the base of the famous column, singing, dancing and letting off flares, while those around joined in.
At one point, motorbikes loudly revved their engines and the crowd cheered as they did laps around the column. There were no police nearby and, by 1am, the atmosphere was upbeat with no tensions and plenty of singing.
Security was tightened up in anticipation of potential post-match violence and 5,400 police officers were deployed on the Champs-Élysées, other key parts of Paris, and its nearby suburbs.
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