More than 890 people have been arrested following riots in France in the aftermath of Paris Saint-Germain’s Champions League final win over Arsenal on Saturday, the country’s Interior Minister has said.
Laurent Nunez praised an operation involving thousands of police officers and said “thugs” had been responsible for the violent unrest, which disrupted transport services in Paris.
A report on Sunday said 219 people were injured – eight seriously – and a 24-year-old man had died after his motocross bike struck concrete blocks on the Paris ring road.
“If there are so many arrests, it means this work has been done well,” Nunez told France Inter. “The question is why these young people come to vandalise.”
What happened in France after the Champions League final?
There were clashes between police and football fans across France, where a large force had been deployed following trouble after PSG won last year’s final, including two fatalities and more than 500 arrests.
Footage showed flares being set off, vehicles burning and buildings being damaged. Police used tear gas to disperse crowds in central Paris and said officers and property had been attacked alongside theft and illegal possession of weapons.
The arrest figures are a 45% increase on 2025. Paris prosectutor Laure Beccuau told BFMTV that charges of attempted murder have been brought after officers suffered “terrible” injuries from an “agricultural bomb,” according to Le Parisien.
Citing RTL radio, the outlet quoted Paris Police Prefect Patrice Faure as saying there had been 569 arrests and 489 people taken into custody in the Greater Lyon area, where he is said to have added that there had been a 30% decrease in incidents compared to last year.
The circumstances surrounding the death of the motorcyclist are unclear, according to BBC News, who reported that a teenager was also in critical condition following a brawl in another area of Paris, although it is not known if they were involved in the football-related rioting.
Emmanuel Macron: Paris riots ‘unacceptable’
President Emamanuel Macron said there had been “unacceptable violence in Paris and other cities” for “a good part of the night”, adding that “nobody wants us to get used to this”.
Speaking in front of PSG’s squad at the Elysee Palace, where they paraded the trophy they won in Budapest as part of a tour on Sunday also visiting the Eiffel Tower and their Parc des Princes home, Macron offered support to officers, business owners and injured victims.
“This isn’t football,” he said, receiving applause at one point. “This isn’t sport, this isn’t what we love.
“We will be unyielding with those who have been caught and we do not want to see this anymore. It’s over. We’ve had enough. It’s finished.”
Beccuau said more than 10 cases will go on trial on Monday, mainly related to violence against police.
Paris riots: Police operation ‘worked’
Nunez suggested the “robustness” of the response to the riots should not be questioned.
“The underlying cause is that, taking advantage of these festive moments, a number of people come to loot and vandalise,” he said.
“That’s a fact. The police deployments are precisely designed to prevent this. It’s not for lack of having warned us.
“We had a large deployment that worked, given that we arrested a great many people and prevented numerous instances of looting, even though some did occur, and I deplore them.”
How PSG responded to riots in Paris
The French and European champions said they “love Paris deeply” and had been “saddened by the violence and damage that affected our city”.
“These acts reflect neither the values of football nor the spirit of this celebration,” the club posted on social media.
“Our team demonstrates that football is synonymous with unity, commitment, and solidarity. From Budapest to the Parc des Princes by way of the Champ-de-Mars, our supporters showed that this passion brings people together.
“This second European triumph will remain a moment of collective joy, gathering, and pride.
“Thank you to the law enforcement, emergency services and mobilised agents. Thank you to the Parisians, our supporters and all French people for their support.”
