Police detained more than 280 people in Paris on Saturday night after violent clashes broke out as thousands flooded the streets following Paris Saint-Germain’s Champions League final victory. Social media overnight showed vandalism and looting of shops, cars being set on fire, and widespread violence in what one poster described as “a war zone.”
The rioting in Paris started before the football match—held in Budapest, Hungary—had even finished, leading to questions about how much the violence was really related to the sports event.
A large security presence had been established in anticipation of the crowds. Some 22,000 police officers were deployed across the country, including 8,000 in Paris alone, in a direct response to the rioting that plagued PSG’s victory last year. To minimize the chaos, public transport was heavily restricted; tram lines were halted, several metro stations were closed, and bus services were suspended in vulnerable areas. Wary shop owners along the Champs-Élysées and surrounding streets also boarded up their windows ahead of kickoff to prevent the looting and vandalism seen the previous year.
The extensive precautions proved wise but were unable to contain the mayhem that ensued.
Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez condemned the unrest as “absolutely unacceptable,” confirming that seven police officers had been wounded overnight. During the Saturday night sweeps, authorities seized two dozen flares and roughly 100 fireworks, while a bus shelter near the Champs-Élysées was destroyed.
The chaotic scenes swiftly drew the ire of the French political right. Rassemblement National’s Marine Le Pen took to X to voice her frustration:
Only in France does a football club’s victory spark riots. Only in France does everyone feel compelled to lock themselves in their homes on the evening of a victory to avoid being confronted with violence.
Bruno Retailleau, president of the center-right Les Républicains party, echoed this sentiment, framing the disorder as a systemic issue rather than a localized outburst, and said the quiet part out loud:
The violence following PSG’s victory is no longer an isolated incident; it is a ritual that is repeating itself and getting worse … this crisis of authority will not be resolved without addressing the migratory disorders that have for years fueled the erosion of respect for the law and the weakening of the republican pact. France should not have to endure this violence every time it wins a trophy. Order is a matter of choice.
In stark contrast to the condemnation of the street violence, French President Emmanuel Macron focused solely on the team’s historic achievement. Praising the squad, Macron stated:
A new star is shining over Paris! Well done to PSG, who are inspiring the whole of Europe. France is proud.
European right-wing politicians also weighed in on social media after seeing the chaotic images from the French capital.
Dutch immigration critic and PVV leader Geert Wilders reposted a video showing young men, some of them masked, shooting fireworks as weapons, and commented, “If you import Africa, you become Africa.”
AfD co-leader Alice Weidel reposted a video showing large groups of young men running down sidewalks while vehicles were burning in the street, commenting only with one word: “Remigration.”
The chaos also extended beyond Paris. According to the French Interior Ministry, over 780 rioters were detained nationwide—a 32% increase compared to 2025. Authorities have not yet clarified how many of those arrested will be remanded in custody pending further investigation.
The violence surrounding the highly anticipated fixture was not confined to French soil either. On the eve of the match, a mass brawl erupted in Budapest between traveling PSG and Arsenal supporters who had arrived for the Champions League final. Approximately 30 fans from each side clashed in the city center, prompting local police to launch an investigation against unknown suspects for group disorderly conduct.
