France: 780 Arrested in Violent Clashes During Champions League Victory Celebrations

PARIS (CNA) - The French football team Paris Saint-Germain secured a second consecutive Champions League title yesterday, prompting excited French fans to flood the streets across the country to celebrate, but violent clashes also broke out. Authorities announced today that a total of 780 people were arrested, with one person dead in a traffic accident and one person critically injured in an attack. According to AFP, French police had deployed approximately 22,000 officers nationwide in advance to prevent a repeat of the unrest that occurred after Paris Saint-Germain won the Champions League last year. Tens of thousands of people flooded the streets of the French capital, Paris, last night to watch the match between Paris Saint-Germain and England's Arsenal, and celebrated wildly after the team won the title. However, some violent crowds clashed with police. French Interior Minister Laurent Nunez held a press conference today, stating that there has been an increase in attacks on law enforcement officers using fireworks this year, and the national arrest count of 780 is 32% higher than last year. He also pointed out that a total of 57 police officers were injured this year, while 219 members of the public were injured, eight of whom were in serious condition. The Paris prosecutor's office announced that a traffic accident involving an off-road motorcycle occurred on the Paris ring road last night, resulting in the death of a young man; additionally, one person was attacked with a sharp weapon in Paris and remains in critical condition.