Following Argentina’s sensational win in the FIFA World Cup final in Qatar, French police fired tear gas at football fans on the streets of Paris. Following the tense game, flares were lit and fireworks were launched into the sky, according to a report in The Sun. The riot police and fans engaged in a confrontation on Paris’ famed Champs-Elysees.
According to local reports, people gathered in bars and restaurants to watch the game while rowdy fans chanted and hundreds of cars paraded by, sounding their horns and waving flags from their windows.
According to the French newspaper Le Parisien, police have made 115 arrests in Paris so far.
Thousands of fans had gathered in Paris and other French cities in anticipation of victory in the World Cup final, but their national team was defeated by Argentina, cutting the celebrations short. A thrilling match in Qatar ended 3-3 after extra time, before France lost a nailbiting shootout to Argentina’s Lionel Messi team 4-2.
Clashes were also reported in other French cities, including Lyon and Nice, where football fans took to the streets in large numbers. In Montpellier, France, shocking footage showed fans throwing chairs, fireworks, and rocks at riot cops – as well as climbing the landmark fountain.
People were seen running for cover as fireworks were thrown across a square. As violence erupted in Lyon, riot police fired tear gas at football fans. Several people have died as a result of the violence that has erupted in Paris as a result of the riots. According to the report, police could be heard yelling “turn around” at rioters as water cannons reportedly moved in to disperse the crowds.
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As clashes erupted in the French city of Nice, videos showed emergency vehicles driving over burning rubbish bins on the street. However, the Parisian scenes in the vicinity of the Argentine embassy were distinct. A few blocks from the famous Arc de Triomphe monument, at the embassy, dozens of Argentinian supporters celebrated the win.
Over 14,000 police officers were deployed across France earlier on Sunday to ensure security as Les Bleus faced Argentina in the World Cup final.
In recent weeks, riots have broken out after several World Cup games across Europe.
