The Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) reached sporting glory at the Puskas Arena in Budapest by becoming two-time champions of the Champions League after defeating Arsenal in a penalty shootout. However, what should have been a national celebration quickly turned into a war zone in the streets of Paris, where the club's African fans violently clashed with the police.
This pattern of destructive behavior has repeated itself following the departure of footballer Kylian Mbappé to Real Madrid, a period during which the club has achieved its only two titles, but which has coincided with a resurgence of racial hostility during the celebrations.
The situation in the capital reached critical levels of insecurity, forcing the French Ministry of the Interior to mobilize a massive contingent of 8,000 police and gendarmes and 2,500 firefighters.
This number, higher than last year—when the victory against Inter Milan led to serious looting of businesses and nearly 500 arrests—was barely enough to contain a crowd that disdains French law.
In terms of law enforcement, the details of the day are alarming:
A total of 1,579 security checks were carried out on the streets of Paris.
64 fines were imposed on the spot for various infractions.
