Paris police detained 45 people during riots following the Champions League final — AP
Celebrations in Paris marking Paris Saint-Germain’s second Champions League victory escalated into widespread riots and clashes with law enforcement.
This was reported by the authoritative international news agency Associated Press, citing official data from the city prefecture.
French law enforcement was forced to carry out a series of forceful arrests after an aggressive crowd attempted to storm a police station.
Mass celebrations began immediately after the final whistle, when tens of thousands of fans took to the central streets of the French capital.
About 20,000 people gathered simultaneously on the Champs-Élysées, blocking public and private traffic.
Fans marched near the famous Arc de Triomphe, setting off fireworks and flares en masse and creating constant noise chaos with car horns.
The situation quickly spiraled out of control when some radical groups of ultras began rioting in various parts of Paris.
The rioters smashed the windows of high-end stores, looted retail outlets, and set fire to cars parked on the sidewalks.
A local restaurant and bakery, which happened to be in the path of the angry mob, also suffered serious damage.
The most critical incident was recorded in the capital’s prestigious 8th arrondissement, where hooligans attempted to break into a law enforcement administrative building.
Police used special equipment and rapid-response tactics to repel the attack on the government building. During nighttime sweeps of city neighborhoods, one police officer sustained injuries of varying severity.
In parallel with the riots in the city center, another group of fans blocked the main ring road around Paris, completely paralyzing traffic.
Special forces quickly arrived at the section of the highway and dispersed the protesters, restoring traffic flow. By 10:00 p.m. local time, law enforcement officials had officially confirmed the arrest of 45 of the most active participants in the riots.
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