Two Dead, Police Officer in Coma After PSG Champions League Celebrations Turn Chaotic Across France
- Victor Nwoko
- Jun 1
- 2 min read
Two people were killed and a police officer left in a coma following widespread celebrations across France marking Paris Saint-Germain’s first-ever UEFA Champions League triumph. The French club’s 5-0 demolition of Inter Milan in the final on Saturday night sparked mass festivities that escalated into violence in several areas, authorities confirmed on Sunday.
In Dax, southwestern France, a 17-year-old boy was fatally stabbed during street celebrations, according to the national police. In a separate incident in Paris, a man riding a scooter was killed after being struck by a car amid the jubilant crowds. Investigations into the exact circumstances of both deaths are ongoing.
Tragedy also struck in Coutances, northwest France, where a police officer suffered severe eye injuries after being accidentally hit by fireworks. He has since been placed in an artificial coma, the national police said.
While celebrations were largely peaceful, numerous incidents of unrest were reported. Authorities made 294 arrests by 2 a.m. Sunday, including 30 individuals who broke into a shoe store on the Champs-Élysées. Two vehicles were also set ablaze near the Parc des Princes stadium.
The Champs-Élysées, the iconic Parisian avenue where PSG fans gathered in droves, saw water cannons deployed near the Place de l’Étoile to prevent a breach of police barricades. A large group not watching the match attempted to force their way through police lines, prompting a swift response.
Elsewhere in the capital, the Place de la Bastille became a focal point of celebration, with fans scaling the base of the famous column, lighting flares, and singing club anthems. Motorbike riders circled the monument to cheers from the crowd. The mood there remained largely positive well past midnight, with minimal police presence and no immediate signs of unrest.
To manage the anticipated post-match chaos, French authorities had deployed 5,400 police officers across the Champs-Élysées, Paris, and its surrounding suburbs.
PSG’s Champions League victory—the first in the club’s history after years of disappointment and massive investment—has ignited national pride, but the celebrations have also cast a somber shadow following the loss of lives and serious injuries. The team is expected to return to Paris for a championship parade on the Champs-Élysées later Sunday.
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