A forceful statement released this Sunday morning by the 8th district town hall in Paris declared that enough is enough, calling for a “zero gathering” policy on the Champs-Élysées. This urgent plea follows widespread violent incidents that erupted on Saturday night after the Champions League final, where PSG secured a victory over Arsenal.

The town hall described Saturday evening as a transformation of the Champs-Élysées and its surrounding areas from a celebratory space into an “urban guerrilla arena.” They asserted that since “it’s impossible to celebrate a match without descending into rioting, the only sensible response is a new doctrine: zero gatherings.” This effectively means an end to all public assemblies on Paris’s most famous avenue.

public authorities deemed “powerless” against violence

Catherine Lécuyer, the LR Mayor of the 8th arrondissement, presented a harsh assessment, labeling the night’s events as an “indictment of public powerlessness.” She detailed numerous acts of aggression, including “multiple acts of violence against law enforcement, mortar fire directed at police officers and residential buildings, burning of rubbish bins and vehicles, damage to police cars, and widespread looting.” Mayor Lécuyer further elaborated that “we are no longer managing overflows; we are enduring them. The preventive strategy has reached its limits. The ‘zero damage’ concept is no longer viable against the violence perpetrated by organized gangs who don’t even bother to disguise themselves as supporters.” The town hall expressed profound concern over the potential for “a fatal tragedy,” concluding that “chaos cannot be contained; it must be eradicated.” She reiterated her call for a change in paradigm, requesting the state to ban high-risk gatherings and move towards “zero gatherings” to safeguard the Champs-Élysées.

Meanwhile, Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez commented that the disturbances aligned with “the situation we had foreseen and thus anticipated.” A total of 283 individuals were apprehended across Paris and its surrounding region, while 8,000 police and gendarmerie officers had been deployed to uphold public order.

Despite these chaotic scenes, the celebratory event planned for the return of the players and the Champions League trophy to the capital remains scheduled. This gathering will proceed at the base of the Eiffel Tower, on the Champ-de-Mars, commencing at 4 PM this Sunday.