Paris Saint-Germain Wins UEFA Champions League
Two Dead, Including a Teenager, During Fans' Celebrations
Victory Parade Held on the Champs-Elysees Amid Aftermath
Fans of the French football club Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) caused riots while celebrating their victory in the UEFA Champions League (UCL), resulting in two deaths and the arrest of more than 500 people. According to Yonhap News, citing AFP on the 1st (local time), "The French Ministry of the Interior announced that 559 people were arrested nationwide on charges including possession of fireworks and rioting." Of these, 491 were arrested in Paris, including on the Champs-Elysees and at PSG's home stadium, Parc des Princes.
Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) soccer fans are setting off fireworks in the streets of Paris in the early hours of the 1st (local time) to celebrate their UCL victory. Photo by AFP
According to the Ministry of the Interior, the disturbances during the UCL victory celebrations resulted in two deaths and 192 injuries nationwide. One of the fatalities was a pedestrian riding a scooter in Paris who died after being hit by a car. In Dax, in the southwest, a teenage boy was fatally stabbed. According to the French daily 'Le Parisien,' in Manche, in the west, a police officer reportedly fell into a coma after being struck by a firework set off by a fan. In Grenoble, in the southeast, a car plowed into the crowd, injuring four people. The driver turned himself in, and it is believed the incident was not intentional.
The largest disturbance occurred on the Champs-Elysees in Paris. French police told AFP, "Those attempting to cause disorder on the Champs-Elysees repeatedly clashed with police, throwing large fireworks and other objects." Police used water cannons in an attempt to stop crowds from approaching the Arc de Triomphe at the end of the avenue. More than 5,400 police officers were reportedly deployed in Paris and its suburbs for security measures that day.
To prepare for such unrest, on the day of the final, May 31, police had already closed shops on the Champs-Elysees from 7 p.m. and restricted vehicle access to certain sections, including around the Arc de Triomphe. Earlier, on the 7th, when PSG defeated Arsenal (England) in the semifinals, large crowds also gathered on the Champs-Elysees, causing disturbances. Shops on the Champs-Elysees have taken preemptive measures whenever signs of violent protests appear, ever since suffering significant property damage during the large-scale 'Yellow Vest' protests against the French government's fuel tax hike in 2018.
Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) players are posing at the UCL championship trophy presentation ceremony. Photo by AFP
PSG won the UCL final held in Munich, Germany the previous day, defeating Inter Milan (Italy) 5-0. French President Emmanuel Macron congratulated the team on X, saying, "Bravo, we are all proud. Tonight, Paris is the capital of Europe."
According to Yonhap News, the PSG squad celebrated their UCL victory with about 110,000 fans during a victory parade on the Champs-Elysees and throughout downtown Paris that afternoon. The entire bus was emblazoned with the words 'European Champions,' and the PSG players, riding on an open-top bus, enjoyed the victory with cheering fans. Afterwards, they visited the Elysee Palace, the presidential residence, where they were congratulated by President Macron. Lee Kangin, who became the first Asian player to achieve a 'treble' (league, cup, and UCL titles) in Europe, was also present.
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