Dozens remanded in custody after post-PSG match unrest
PARIS, France (AFP)—Parisian authorities have remanded in custody 95 people, including nine minors, following unrest in the French capital after Paris Saint-Germain reached the Champions League final, the public prosecutor’s office said on Thursday.
Another 14 minors outside of Paris were also remanded in custody after celebrations turned violent following PSG’s 1-1 draw against Bayern Munich in Germany that sealed a 6-5 aggregate victory in the semi-final.
The Public prosecutor’s office said that those remanded in custody had been arrested for offences including “participating with a weapon in a gathering after being ordered to disperse” and of “participation in a gathering aimed at preparing violence or vandalism”.
The interior ministry added that some were detained for “violence against police officers”, and in some cases with the use of weapons.
In the worst cases, those detained could face up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to 150,000 euros.
Police arrested 127 people while 11 people were injured, including one seriously, during the incidents, Interior Minister Laurent Nunez said earlier.
Nunez said that 23 officers also suffered minor injuries in the violence.
“One hundred and twenty-seven people were arrested in the Paris area, including 107 in Paris,” Nunez told CNews television channel and Europe 1 radio station.
“Eleven people were injured, including one seriously with a firework,” he added, while condemning the incidents.
The public prosecutor’s office told AFP that the arrests were for the “participation in a congregation aimed at committing acts of violence, for setting off fireworks, for violence and for causing damage by fire”.
Several vehicles were damaged in the unrest.
Nunez warned that police would act “just as forcefully” against such incidents on May 30, when PSG will play Arsenal in the Champions League final in Budapest, seeking to win Europe’s top club competition for the second year in a row.
“We won’t tolerate unrest,” he said.
He also criticised Paris’s new mayor Emmanuel Gregoire for having “unilaterally” announced that there would be a fan zone in the capital on May 30.
“Normally we talk about that a bit with the police prefect beforehand, which didn’t happen,” he said.
