PARIS (AP) — Paris police detained dozens of people after violence interrupted celebrations late Saturday. Paris Saint-Germain wins the Champions League for the second time And a group tried to attack a police station in the French capital.
PSG defeated Arsenal on penalties in a dramatic final in Budapest, Hungary, with fans beginning to celebrate in Paris after the final whistle blew early in the evening.
Fans marched along the boulevard near the Arc de Triomphe, some lighting smoke bombs and honking their car horns. About 20,000 people gathered on the Champs-Elysées, and police worked to contain the crowd.
The Paris police department said small groups caused disturbances in various places, with some destroying shops and setting fires. A car was also set on fire. One police officer was injured. Police said the people who tried to storm the police station in the upscale 8th Arrondissement area were dispersed.
As of 10 p.m., 45 people had been arrested.
The main ring road surrounding Paris was briefly blocked by the crowd, which was later dispersed by police. Police also said one bakery and one restaurant were damaged.
Police also detained around 1,000 people who had gathered near the PSG stadium in the 16th district and removed barricades made of bicycles.
Last May, after PSG’s first victory, Paris was put on high alert with 8,000 police officers deployed across the city, when 201 people were injured in the French capital and police arrested more than 500 people across France.
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