Paris staggered through the night with happiness – and in places lost control. After Paris Saint-Germain reached the UEFA Champions League final, part of the French capital turned into a noisy sea of horns, flares and songs. But while thousands celebrated the victory over FC Bayern, the following morning left a bitter aftertaste.
Particularly hard hit was the “Vivre ensemble” exhibition by renowned photographer Yann Arthus-Bertrand at Place de la Concorde. Numerous large-format photographs lay scattered on the ground, damaged or torn from their fixings. Images that were intended to celebrate social cohesion became victims of blind destruction on the very night of collective exuberance. It could hardly be more ironic.
The photographer reacted with clear disappointment. In a short video, he spoke with a mixture of irony and resignation – emotions that arise only when idealism collides with harsh reality. “Clearly, PSG fans really loved the exhibition,” he said dryly, calling on volunteers to help rebuild the damaged parts of the exhibition. A remark that was both a joke and an expression of resignation.
The night was also chaotic in many other places. Riots, property damage and clashes with the police occurred around the Trocadéro, Alma and Concorde areas. Groups of young people moved through the streets, throwing fireworks and occasionally attempting to enter the access roads to Paris’s ring road. Police responded with a strong presence and repeatedly dispersed the crowds.
According to the Ministry of the Interior, police arrested 127 people, more than one hundred of them in Paris alone. Eleven people were injured, including one person seriously injured by fireworks. By around half past midnight, the situation gradually calmed down. Paris breathed a sigh of relief – although the city was no longer as clean afterwards.
These scenes once again raise a question that has almost become a ritual in France after major football nights: Why does overflowing joy so often turn into aggression? Of course, tens of thousands of people celebrated peacefully. Families stood on balconies, people danced on car hoods, strangers hugged one another. But as usual, just a few dozen troublemakers were enough to leave their mark on an entire night.
Looking ahead to the final against Arsenal F.C. on 30 May in Budapest, the authorities have announced that they will deploy a large security force. Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez promised there would be “systematic intervention” in the event of further riots. At the same time, the planned fan zone in Paris has caused political tensions between the city authorities and the police. There are many tense conflicts behind the scenes.
Paris loves football. But sometimes this love is like a match in a room full of gasoline fumes.
Andreas M. B.