In the wake of chaotic violence that erupted after Paris Saint-Germain secured their spot in the UEFA Champions League final, French law enforcement and judicial authorities have taken firm action, with nearly 100 people placed in pre-trial detention across the country. The Paris Public Prosecutor’s Office confirmed Thursday that 95 individuals, nine of whom are underage, are being held in custody in the French capital, with an additional 14 minors detained outside Paris following the outburst of unrest.
The violence broke out after PSG secured a 1-1 away draw against Bayern Munich in the second leg of the Champions League semi-final, locking in a 6-5 aggregate win that sent the defending champions through to the 2025 final. What was meant to be a celebratory moment for PSG supporters quickly spiraled into public disorder, with groups engaging in violent clashes, vandalism, and attacks on law enforcement.
Authorities have outlined a range of charges against the detained individuals. Offenses include participating in an armed gathering after official orders to disperse, joining assemblies organized to coordinate violence and property damage, assaulting police officers, and setting off unauthorized fireworks. Multiple vehicles were damaged in the unrest, and a total of 11 civilians were injured – one critically, hurt by a firework explosion. Twenty-three police officers also sustained minor injuries during efforts to restore order. In total, 127 people were arrested across the Paris region, 107 of those within city limits, Interior Ministry spokesperson Laurent Nunez confirmed in an interview with CNews and Europe 1.
For those facing the most serious charges, the legal consequences are steep: convicted offenders can face up to 10 years of prison time and fines as high as 150,000 euros. Nunez emphasized that law enforcement will not show any leniency ahead of the Champions League final, scheduled for May 30 in Budapest, where PSG will face Arsenal in a bid to defend their continental title. He warned that police will respond with equal force to any future unrest, stressing “We won’t tolerate unrest.”
The post-violence fallout has also sparked political friction between national security officials and Paris’s new city leadership. Nunez criticized Paris Mayor Emmanuel Gregoire for unilaterally announcing plans for a public fan zone in the capital to host supporters watching the final on May 30, saying standard pre-planning consultations with the police prefecture were skipped entirely. “Normally we talk about that a bit with the police prefect beforehand, which didn’t happen,” he noted, raising concerns about uncoordinated public event planning amid ongoing risks of fan violence.