This archive report was first published on 24 August 2020.
On August 23, 2020, Paris Saint-Germain fans gathered at Paris's Parc des Princes to watch the Champions League final against Bayern Munich. However, their hopes of seeing their team win were dashed as Bayern Munich emerged victorious with a 1-0 score.
As the fans watched the game on a big screen, tensions began to rise, and scuffles broke out at the ground. The situation escalated further when late-night clashes erupted on the Champs-Elysees, with vehicles set on fire, windows broken, and shops vandalized.
According to police, 83 people were arrested during the night. The clashes were a stark contrast to the 'mature celebrations' that Paris mayor Anne Hidalgo had called for in case PSG beat Bayern.
Despite social distancing measures being in place, fans had gathered in large numbers, and the situation quickly got out of hand. Police fired tear gas near the Parc des Princes stadium, and dustbins and a vehicle were set on fire. Police vans were also pelted with bottles.
As the fans left the stadium, some expressed their disappointment and frustration with the team's performance. Nicolas Mounier said, 'I'm gutted! They wasted too many chances and unfortunately in the final that just doesn’t fly.' Another fan, Anne Vaneson, added, 'We are disappointed but we weren’t dreadful. In the first half, we were on a level playing field but we paid for a dip in performance in the first 20 minutes of the second half.'
