Six stabbed at Arsenal showdown in London — hours after PSG’s victory turned Paris into ‘urban guerrilla war’
Six people were stabbed at Arsenal’s Premier League victory parade in London on Sunday – hours after celebrations in Paris for PSG’s Champions League triumph turned the Champs Élysées into a “battlefield for urban guerrillas.”
Around a million fans packed the streets of North London to celebrate Arsenal’s first Premier League title in 22 years, with 24 people arrested, the Metropolitan Police said on Monday.
A 20-year-old man was among the six people who were stabbed in the massacre. He was taken to hospital in life-threatening condition but is now stable, authorities said. Most of the victims were not seriously injured, police said.
Of the 24 arrested, 10 are suspected of assaulting the police, one policeman was injured in the hand and another was hit in the head.
Three others were also arrested on suspicion of sexual abuse, while three others were arrested on drug-related charges.
The police said two people were arrested for drunkenness and disorderly conduct, and one person who had a grudge hurled homophobic slurs at a police officer.
Also arrested for disturbing the peace, obstructing and ignoring orders to disperse.
Four police vans were left with broken lights and many holes.
Arsenal won their league title on May 19 – before Paris Saint-Germaine beat them in the separate UEFA, or Union of European Football Associations, Champions League final in Budapest, Hungary, on penalties on Saturday.
France got up big and beat PSG, leaving their fans unaware.
Nine hundred people were arrested across France on Saturday – a 45% increase on last year’s riots during PSG’s Champions League comeback win against Inter Milan. About 180 policemen were injured in the trees, according to Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez.
A man was even killed on what should have been a night of joy celebrating back-to-back European Cup victories.
More than 306 people – including 81 children – have been arrested over the violence, Paris prosecutors said.
“Justice will be uncompromising,” warned the public prosecutor of Paris, Laure Beccuau.
Hooligans torched cars and looted shops – and a group of unruly fans even tried to storm a police station in the 8th arrondissement of Paris – home to the Champs Elysées and the Arc de Triomphe of City of Lights fame.
“The Champs-Elysees avenue and its surroundings have not become a place of celebration and have become a battlefield for urban insurgents,” said officials of the 8th arrondissement.
Jordan Bardella, leader of France’s National Rally team, compared the incidents to a “civil war,” Agence France-Presse reported.
The police were forced to break up the blockade that had surrounded the main street of Paris five times.
Two people were also injured when the driver lost control of their car and crashed into a restaurant.
Cool scenes were reported on Sunday in France, where around 100,000 people gathered in front of the Eiffel Tower for PSG’s then-title show.
But French President Emmanuel Macron lamented the shocking scenes earlier.
“This is not soccer, this is not a game, this is not what we like,” he said.
“We will be steadfast with those arrested, we do not want to see this happen again, it is over, enough is enough, this must end.”
Nuñez defended himself and hit the nail on the head with the arrest statistics.
“If there are so many people arrested, it is because it is clear that this work has been done well,” he said.
More than 500 people were arrested last year across France after Qatar-owned PSG ran rampant in Munich, Germany.
By Post cables
