Nearly 130 arrests around Paris amid celebrations for PSG reaching Champions League final
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PARIS (AP) — Nearly 130 people were arrested around Paris overnight as fans clashed with police following Paris Saint-Germain reaching the Champions League final, Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez said on Thursday.
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He told Europe 1 radio that the total number of arrests was 127 in the Paris metropolitan area, including 107 in Paris, after titleholder PSG eliminated Bayern Munich to reach a second straight final and third since 2020.
He said there were 11 injuries among the rioters, including one serious injury caused to someone using a mortar, and 23 police officers sustained light injuries. Clashes took place outside PSG's Parc des Princes stadium and on the Champs-Élysées as police dispersed groups and prevented the Paris ring road from being blocked off by rioters.
“I condemn this strongly, there are always hundreds of individuals responsible for these excesses during these festivities who look to clash with law enforcement," Nuñez said. “I would like to thank the police prefect and all of his teams who systematically intervened according to my instructions, and those of my predecessors.”
He also praised them for preventing damage to property and eventual looting of stores.
Nuñez said security would be increased for the May 30 final against Arsenal in Budapest, Hungary.
Nunez appeared to reproach recently elected Paris Mayor Emmanuel Grégoire — who regularly attends PSG games — for widely announcing the creation of a fan zone in Paris for the final without consulting the police beforehand.
“We need to see where this fan zone will be organized,” Nuñez added.
A history of violence
Riots have been commonplace in Paris and elsewhere in France in recent years.
When PSG won the Champions League last year, police made more than 500 arrests across France. A man in his 20s was killed in Paris when his scooter was hit by a car during PSG celebrations.
The trouble continued the next day.
Paris police arrested 148 people after fans clashed with officers and smashed cars and store windows after the club lost the 2020 final to Bayern.
When PSG won the French title in 2013 — ending a wait of 19 years — celebrations were cut short on Monday following violent scenes in which fans fought with riot police for several hours, leaving 30 people injured.
There were also incidents on the Champs-Élysées following Algeria’s Africa Cup of Nations win in 2019, and in 2021 following a match between Morocco and Algeria in the Arab Cup, and in 2022 after France and Morocco both qualified for the World Cup semifinals on the same day. ___
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