Hundreds were arrested in France after riots after Saint-Germain won the Champions League

French police arrested hundreds of people across the country following Paris Saint-Germain’s victory over England’s Arsenal in the Champions League final, as celebrations for winning the title in several cities turned into riots.

In a press conference held on Sunday, French Interior Minister Laurent Nunez stated that 416 people had been arrested nationwide, including 283 in the greater Paris region.

“The country witnessed festive gatherings accompanied by a series of riots, which was expected,” Nunez said, describing these actions as “completely unacceptable.”

Official statistics showed that seven policemen were injured in incidents reported in about 15 cities.

In Paris, the situation was particularly tense around the Champs-Élysées, where thousands of people gathered after the match. Masked men clashed with security forces, throwing projectiles and using tear gas.

Video clips circulated on social media showed burning cars, barriers being deployed, and fireworks being launched towards people.

Fans gathered to watch Paris Saint-Germain’s 4-3 victory over Arsenal on penalties on a giant screen in the Parc des Princes stadium, which French media reported was almost full.

About 22,000 police were deployed across France, including about 8,000 in the capital, Paris.

These scenes brought to mind the riots that broke out after Saint-Germain won the Champions League last year, which resulted in the deaths of two people, the injury of about 200 others, and the arrest of 559. The authorities also recorded about 700 fires, in which many cars caught fire.