Riots Erupt in France After PSG Champions League Victory

Rioting broke out across France on Saturday, as Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) won the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) Champions League final against England's Arsenal in Budapest, Hungary.

How The Media Covered It: BBC (Center bias) noted conservative leader Marine Le Pen's statement, "Only in France does everyone feel compelled to lock themselves in their homes on the evening of a victory to avoid being confronted with violence." Associated Press (Lean Left), on the other hand, gave voice to Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez, who said, "Most of the celebrations took place peacefully," and French President Emmanuel Macron, who asserted, "We will be uncompromising with those who have been caught… We've had enough." Associated Press additionally covered the planned and peaceful celebrations in Paris that took place on Sunday afternoon, hosted by Macron. Both outlets exhibited viewpoint biases through their choice of sources.

RELATED: AP's Bias Shifts from Left to Lean Left, But Barely | AllSides

The Damages: Riots began to erupt before halftime, leading some viewing establishments to turn off the game entirely. Other businesses reportedly boarded their storefronts prior to the match. Amid PSG's victory, about 20,000 took to the Champs-Elysees in Paris, leading to fires, violence against law enforcement – including an attempt to storm a police station – and at least one destroyed storefront.

Police dispersed tear gas and detained about 780 people in response. Detainments primarily occurred in Paris, where 5,000 officers were deployed, but they took place in cities throughout the country. At least seven police officers and over 200 citizens sustained injuries. One unidentified male was reported dead.

Nuñez said the country established a "very robust, very solid system" after PSG's 2025 win similarly resulted in over 500 arrests and hundreds of injuries.

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