Hundreds detained in France after violence erupts following Paris Saint-Germain victory

By — Sylvie Corbet, Associated Press Sylvie Corbet, Associated Press By — Samuel Petrequin, Associated Press Samuel Petrequin, Associated Press Leave your feedback Share Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/hundreds-detained-in-france-after-violence-erupts-following-paris-saint-germain-victory Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Hundreds detained in France after violence erupts following Paris Saint-Germain victory World Updated on May 31, 2026 1:07 PM EDT — Published on May 31, 2026 12:34 PM EDT PARIS (AP) — A huge crowd of supporters gathered peacefully near the Eiffel Tower on Sunday to celebrate Paris Saint-Germain's second Champions League title victory, which was marred by violent clashes overnight across France and led police to detain hundreds of people. Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez said 780 people were detained in Paris and other cities and 57 officers were wounded, with most suffering minor injuries, as football fans set off fires and vandalized shops overnight. Nuñez said at a news conference Sunday that "the situation has been largely brought under control." "Most of the celebrations took place peacefully" across the French capital, he said, noting most incidents happened in the Champs Elysees neighborhood and close to the Parc des Princes stadium, in western Paris, where fans had gathered to watch the match. READ MORE: Expensive tickets for early World Cup games still on general sale Fans began celebrating in Paris after the final whistle on Saturday night in Budapest, Hungary, where Paris Saint-Germain was crowned Champions League winners after beating Arsenal in a dramatic penalty shootout. Fans marched along the avenues near Paris' Arc de Triomphe monument, with some setting off flares and blaring car horns. Around 20,000 people gathered on the Champs-Elysees, where police worked to contain the crowd. Planned celebrations for the team's win on Sunday afternoon at the Champ de Mars, near the Eiffel Tower, went ahead as scheduled. Nunez warned that police would respond with "firmness and determination" to any potential violence. With the Eiffel Tower as a backdrop, up to 100,000 supporters showed up at the event that was placed under high security measures. Returning from Budapest late, PSG players — led by captain Marquinhos, coach Luis Enrique and club president Nasser Al-Khelaifi — were greeted by cheering crowds as the club anthem blared from loudspeakers. The players took turns lifting the trophy aloft, relishing their heroes' welcome back home. The team will later be hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron at the Elysee presidential palace. Nuñez said incidents took place in about 15 cities in France, describing "one to two" shops vandalized in each other than Paris. He said 780 people were detained in all, with 480 of them in the Paris area alone. Police also intervened five times overnight to prevent people from blocking traffic on the main ring road around Paris,