French President Emmanuel Macron condemned Sunday “unacceptable” violence during celebrations following Paris Saint-Germain’s Champions League final victory, as he welcomed the triumphant team to the Elysee palace.
“Nothing can justify what has happened in the last few hours, the violent clashes are unacceptable,” Macron said.
“We will pursue, we will punish, we will be relentless,” he added before congratulating the players on their win.
Two people died and police made nearly 600 arrests across France overnight as fans celebrated PSG’s 5-0 triumph over Inter Milan in Munich on Saturday.
“The violent clashes that took place are unacceptable and have come at a heavy cost: two people are dead, around 30 police officers and several firefighters have been injured,” Macron said.
“My thoughts are also with the police officer in Coutances who is currently in a coma,” he added, referring to the town in western France where a police officer was struck in the eye by a firework.
Macron hosted PSG coach Luis Enrique and his team after their victory parade on the Champs-Elysees avenue, thanking the players for their quick condemnation of the violence.
“These isolated acts are contrary to the club’s values and in no way represent the vast majority of our supporters, whose exemplary behaviour throughout the season deserves to be commended,” the club said Sunday.
Macron also congratulated the team for their “sublime” victory over Inter Milan.
“You are the champions and you have put Paris at the top of Europe,” he said.
“There were 11 of you on the field, but there was clearly a twelfth man — the entire French public, regardless of traditional allegiances,” Macron said, in a reference to his own loyalty to PSG’s rival club Olympique de Marseille.
It was the first time PSG has won the biggest prize in European club football.
Many of the stars of the team, one of the youngest in the competition, are drawn from the huge football talent pool in the Paris suburbs after PSG’s Qatari owners turned their back on the policy of signing star players like Neymar and Lionel Messi.
A total of 11.5 million people tuned in across France to watch the match.
