Empty streets, surrounded sights and an effective 11,500 security agents to maintain order marked Sunday (13) in the French capital. Even after the defeat to Chelsea in the Club World Cup final-resulted in that frustrated the chance of an unprecedented title for Paris Saint-Germain and French football-Paris followed alien: no party, protest or commotion.
The structures set up for the national holiday of July 14, known as Fête Nationale or Bastille Day, which celebrates two symbolic landmarks of the French Revolution – Bastille taking (1789) and the Federation Party (1790) – added to the strong security scheme contributed to silence after the sound defeat before the Londrina team.
Despite the favoritism that PSG carried until the beginning of the match, the city vetoed the installation of big screens in the city. It was also determined the closing of subway stations at strategic points, focusing on Champs-élysées Avenue, where structures of the national ceremony were installed.
“No agglomeration will be tolerated,” the city said in a statement. Police also banned Place de L’Étoile and Place de la Concorde for vehicles and pedestrians.
The restrictions were also imposed to avoid a repetition of what was seen in early June, when PSG celebrated the unprecedented achievement of Champions League. The party began with euphoria and ended in disorders on the streets of Paris and other cities in France. According to the authorities, 79 people were arrested, accused of blocking roads, vandalizing stores, and releasing fireworks on Champs -Isées.
At the time, two young people died, a minor was stabbed in Dax and another, run over in Paris. In addition, a police officer was in a coma for injuries caused by fireworks.
According to Parisian prosecutor Laure Beccuau, this time, there were no signs that fans could organize similar acts. “There are no major concerns in terms of public order.”
This Sunday, the only significant concentration of fans took place at Parc des Princes, which received about 2,000 visitors – most of them tourists and families. The audience went to the stadium for the traditional tour, which, exceptionally on this day, also offered the game’s broadcast on one of the internal screens.
PSG’s defeat, however, echoed in the French media.
The coverage dedicated to the decision detached from what was seen throughout the competition, in which the new FIFA World Cup has been almost unnoticed by the French.
On Friday (11), the forefront of the confrontation, the traditional L’E Team newspaper, for example, had only dedicated two pages to the final, in the middle of its edition, after texts about the Tour de France.
