Two people died in France and 559 were arrested during celebrations after Paris Saint-Germain’s stunning Champions League final victory over Inter Milan, the French Interior Ministry said on Sunday, June 1.
The epicenter of the euphoria was in Paris, which was a theatre of car horns, cheers, singing in the street and fireworks throughout the night following PSG’s 5-0 triumph over Inter Milan in Munich. A person riding a scooter died after they were hit by a car in the southwest of Paris, the ministry said, adding that 559 people were arrested, including 491 in the capital.
A 17-year-old was stabbed to death in the southwestern town of Dax during a gathering to celebrate the Parisians’ victory. His death occurred shortly after the match and “during the celebrations,” but the prosecutor’s office said it did not know whether it was related to the Champions League final. It added that the perpetrator was “on the run.”
“Troublemakers on the Champs-Elysรฉes were looking to create incidents and repeatedly came into contact with police by throwing large fireworks and other objects,” police said in a statement. The PSG team is to hold a victory parade on the Champs-Elysรฉes on Sunday, with tens of thousands of supporters expected to gather to catch a glimpse of their returning heroes.
Elsewhere, police said a car careered into fans celebrating PSG’s win in Grenoble in southeastern France, leaving four people injured, two of them seriously. All of those hurt were from the same family, police said. The driver handed himself in to the police and was placed under arrest. A source close to the investigation said it was believed the driver had not acted intentionally. The public prosecutor’s office said the driver had tested negative for alcohol and drugs.
The Interior Ministry said that 18 police officers in Paris were injured, along with three elsewhere in France, as were 192 people celebrating in the streets. Seven fire-service personnel were also hurt. It said that 692 fires were reported through the night, including 264 cars that were set ablaze. The majority of fans celebrated peacefully, but police in Paris said scuffles broke out near the Champs-Elysรฉes avenue, and around PSG’s Parc des Princes stadium, where 48,000 had watched the 5-0 win on giant screens.
Most of those arrested in the capital were suspected of illegally possessing fireworks and causing disorder, police said. The PSG victory meant the club won the biggest prize in European club football for the first time in their history.
