More than 22,000 security agents were deployed in France, including 8,000 in the capital
Paris is a party again: one year after the turbulent celebrations that followed the first Champions League title won by PSG, fans of the French club took to the streets this Saturday (30) to celebrate the latest success of their idols in the main continental tournament, all this amid an extensive security scheme, reinforced to contain the riots that left more than 400 detained.
There have been moments of tension since the beginning of a night that began with the (4-3 after a 1-1 draw) over Arsenal in the final in Budapest.
More than 22,000 security officers have been deployed in France, including 8,000 in Paris, after violent acts marred last year’s celebrations.
At the time, 5,400 police and gendarmes had been mobilized in Paris and its metropolitan region, on a night that ended with the arrest of 416 people, around 280 in the capital, where the police seized 24 flares and around a hundred mortars, reported the Ministry of the Interior.
When presenting the balance, the holder of the portfolio, Laurent Nunez, classified the disturbances, in which seven police officers were injured, as “absolutely unacceptable”. In the early evening, a bus stop was destroyed very close to the Champs-Élysées avenue, and a police officer was injured.
Damage was also recorded in a bakery, a restaurant, two commercial establishments and six vehicles in the Porte de Saint-Cloud region, close to the PSG stadium.
Giant screens
But beyond these isolated disturbances, the The atmosphere in the streets was typical of a major sporting celebrationwith cars honking, celebrations in bars and restaurants and an atmosphere of general joy, on a night of high temperatures, more typical of summer than French spring.
A match was followed on television throughout the citybut the Parque dos Príncipes stadium was transformed into the main meeting point for fans, with six giant screens.
As soon as the game ended, the chants echoed: “Champions of Europe!”, “This is Paris!”, “Luis Enrique, Luis Enrique!”, while fireworks lit up the sky of the French capital for that victory achieved 1,500 km away.
“We came from far away and only thought about victory. PSG is the reference club in Franceso let’s celebrate, it’s going to be a great night!”, said Riad, 26 years old and with dyed blonde hair, after traveling from Charleville-Mézières (northern France, close to the Belgian border) to watch the game at the Parc des Princes.
‘A new star shines in Paris’
Marc and Baptiste, both 28 years old, had already experienced last year’s final in front of the stadium’s big screens and wanted to repeat the experience because “the atmosphere is crazy, the enthusiasm is incredible, it feels like you’re there!”
“Luis Enrique took us to a new dimension. We handed over the keys to the truck to the right person”, celebrated Baptiste.
After the final whistle, faithThis has also spread to other iconic locations.
Thousands of fans, wearing PSG shirts, headed towards the Champs-Élysées, where at around 9:30 pm local time (5:30 pm Brasília time) there were already 20,000 people gathered, according to the police, and also towards Praça da República.
Given the huge influx of users, the public transport network (subway and buses) was “strongly impacted” on Saturday night, with some lines interrupted “to guarantee the passenger and driver safetys”.
Shortly after the end of the match, the president of the French Republic, Emmanuel Macron, congratulated the club on social network X: “A new star shines in Paris! Congratulations to PSG, which makes all of Europe dream. France is proud.”
Macron himself will receive PSG members on Sunday, at the Élysée Palace, after the team’s return to the country, on a Sunday in which the Champ de Mars, in front of the Eiffel Tower, will be the site of celebrations in the late afternoon and evening, with a forecast of almost 100 thousand fans.
The same Eiffel Tower that, on Saturday night, was lit up in the club’s blue and red colors now two-time European champion.
