PSG Champions League Champion, Paris Riots and Hundreds of People Detained

JAKARTA - Paris Saint-Germain's victory in the Champions League turned into a busy night for the French police. Thousands of supporters took to the streets after PSG beat Arsenal on penalties in Budapest, Hungary. The celebration then ended in riots in Paris and a number of other cities.

Citing Euronews, Sunday, May 31, French authorities said that around 780 people were questioned nationally. The police also detained 457 people after the riots.

The French Ministry of the Interior recorded 416 arrests nationwide. In Paris alone, 283 people were arrested. The city became the center of celebration because PSG is based in the French capital.

Riots broke out after the final whistle. Around the Arc de Triomphe and the Champs-Elysees, supporters lit flares, honked horns, and filled the streets. Around 20,000 people gathered on the Champs-Elysees.

But the party quickly turned. According to the Paris Police Prefecture, a number of small groups created chaos at several points. They set fire, damaged shops, and burned cars. A policeman was reportedly injured.

The police also said that there was a group that tried to storm the police station in the elite area of the 8th arrondissement. The crowd was then dispersed.

As of 22.00 local time, 45 people had been detained. Paris' main ring road was also blocked by the crowd before the police dispersed it.

A bakery and restaurant were reportedly damaged. Near the PSG stadium in the 16th arrondissement, police controlled about 1,000 people and dismantled barricades made from bicycles.

PSG's victory was actually historic. The French club won its second Champions League title and became the second club in the modern history of the competition to be able to defend the title in a row.

Still according to Euronews, similar riots occurred in May last year when PSG won their first Champions League title. At that time, Paris deployed around 8,000 police. A total of 201 people were injured in the French capital and more than 500 people were arrested across the country.

On the pitch, PSG's title remains a major note of French football. Outside the stadium, the celebration again turned into a big job for the Paris security forces.