ONE man has died and another was left in intensive care in France as 780 people were arrested during rioting after the Champions League final.
The worst violence was in the capital city itself, where police fought with youths throughout the night until dawn on Sunday.
Police in riot gear walk through the streets of Paris as smoke rises from a fire in the background Credit: Reuters
Riots spread throughout the night in the capital city Credit: Getty
Prosecutors launched a criminal probe after an unidentified 17-year-old boy was repeatedly stabbed near the Champs Élysée.
“He was set upon by four others in the early hours of Sunday, in violence linked to the football”, an investigating source said.
“The victim fell into a coma, and remained in hospital intensive care later in the day.
“The suspects responsible for the attack are being tracked down, and currently face charges of attempted murder.”
Firefighters work to extinguish a blaze engulfing dumped bikes Credit: Getty
PSG supporters gather to celebrate their team’s UEFA Champions League title Credit: Getty
An unidentified 23-year-old on a motorbike died at around the same time after colliding with a concrete block head-on.
He was one of hundreds celebrating the Paris St Germain victory on their vehicles.
A local police spokesman said: “The accident happened on the Paris ring road shortly after 1am on Sunday.”
The so-called périphérique was brought to a halt by fans on a number of occasions throughout the night, but supporters on bikes, scooters and mopeds continued to be driven at high speed.
Riot cops sprint through the streets burning red as fires blaze Credit: Reuters
Police try to disperse PSG supporters who let off fireworks in Paris Credit: AP
In other parts of Paris, shops were looted, buildings were set on fire, fireworks pointed at officers, and other major roads brought to a standstill.
At least seven policemen were badly injured, including one seriously in Agen, in the south-west, after he fell and cracked his head open.
Widespread disorder was also reported in towns and cities including Rennes, Strasbourg and Grenoble.
Tear gas and baton charges were used by the police in greater Paris, where some 8000 officers were on duty to deal with the trouble.
An Interior Ministry spokesman said there were ‘416 arrests across France’ by 1am, with 283 of them in the capital.
Up to 2000 people were stopped and searched, with potential weapons including clubs and knives confiscated.
Most of the arrests were around the Parc des Princes – the home ground of PSG – where fans had gathered to watch the game on giant screens.
After Arsenal were defeated on penalties in Budapest, fighting broke out between the PSG supporters and rival groups outside.
In the 8th arrondissement of the city, there were attempts to attack the main police station, before a mob was chased away.
Some PSG fans climbed up scaffolding on buildings close to the Rue de Rivoli – one of the main shopping streets in the French capital.
This led to further trouble as officers tried to get them down.
Thousands of tourists were caught up in the trouble, and some had to be escorted back to their hotels by riot control officers.
Football violence is becoming an increasing problem across France.
While many Paris fans travelled to Hungary this year, tens of thousands more remained on the streets of the French capital.
More trouble was predicted for Sunday, when a crowd of 100,000 prepared to welcome the winning PSG players to a victory celebration by the Eiffel Tower.
They were then due to attend a reception at the Elysée Palace, hosted by President Emmanuel Macron, who is a fan of PSG’s greatest rival, Marseille.
Eze Chidiebere Paul
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