Paris descended into chaos on the evening of Wednesday, the 7th of May, following Paris Saint-Germain's win against Arsenal in the Champions League semi-final. Celebrations quickly turned nasty as riot police clashed with fans all over the city.
PSG secured their place in the final with a 2-1 victory at the Parc des Princes, making it a 3-1 win overall. The celebrations spilled into the streets, especially around the Avenue des Champs-Élysées, where things got rather heated.
A car drove into a crowd of PSG supporters, injuring three people, one of them very seriously. Witnesses said the vehicle went straight through the crowd before being chased by a group of fans, who set it on fire after stopping it on Avenue Marceau.
The police confirmed that 44 people were arrested because of the trouble. One source described the car incident as the "worst" of the night, saying: “At least three supporters were injured, one seriously, and others were sent flying.”
Full riot gear was donned by police across Paris, but there were still clashes before and after the match. The city had put an extra 2,000 officers and gendarmes on duty, expecting trouble. Despite this, things turned nasty in several areas.
Even though 2,000 Arsenal fans had official tickets for the match, thousands more went to Paris and gathered in pubs and public viewing areas. Arsenal had warned its supporters beforehand to steer clear of certain areas, particularly Auteuil, due to safety concerns and street crime.
The violence spoiled what was otherwise a historic night for PSG, who are now through to the Champions League final. The authorities are still looking into the incidents, including the car attack, as the city deals with the fallout from the chaos.