Paris saw intense clashes between police and fans on Sunday night after the French national team was defeated by Argentina in the final match of the World Cup in Qatar. Officers in riot gear were deployed to disperse crowds on the Champs-Elysees.
“In such a situation, only those who have come to fight … remain,” a police source told Le Parisien. Photos and videos published on social media show large groups of police officers in riot gear chasing fans down the Champs-Elysees while kicking and bashing them with their shields.
Fans are seen fighting back and throwing fireworks at the officers in some of the videos, though most only show the crowd running away. One video shows a man lying on the ground surrounded by police. According to Le Parisien, officers charged a small crowd that was throwing bottles and fireworks and managed to quickly disperse them.
One hour after the match, police arrested ten people for possession of fireworks, Le Parisien reported. There were no reports of injuries or property damage, though some people on social media spoke of riots in Paris following the match.
Police deployed over 2,700 officers to Paris alone ahead of the final in anticipation of potential unrest, according to French media. The capital and other cities saw outbreaks of violence following France’s semifinal victory over Morocco last week.
A boy died in the southern French city of Montpellier after being “violently hit” by a car as rival fans clashed at the time.