French Interior Minister Predicts Violence in Paris Coinciding with Champions League Final

French Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez has predicted a recurrence of the violence levels witnessed in the capital, Paris, in 2025, coinciding with the anticipated Champions League final on May 30.

Nuñez also indicated that French authorities are in the process of implementing an exceptional security plan in the capital, especially if Paris Saint-Germain secures the continental title against English club Arsenal in the match scheduled to take place in Budapest, Hungary.

Nuñez explained that official estimates suggest a massive turnout of fans in the streets to participate in celebrations, which could open the door to security disturbances in multiple locations.

“There will be many more people in the streets participating in celebrations, and in many different places,” Nuñez stated. The French official emphasized the readiness of the specialized agencies to confront any potential excesses, affirming that “the security apparatus will be exceptional” because authorities anticipate “the same level of violence” that occurred on previous occasions.

These heightened measures are based on events from 2025, when Paris experienced widespread disturbances, including looting of shops and traffic disruption, following Paris Saint-Germain's 5-0 victory over Internacional in Munich.

On that night, French authorities deployed 5,400 police and gendarmerie personnel to control the situation. Security operations concluded with the arrest of 563 individuals, with the capital accounting for the largest share at approximately 491 detainees, placing the current arrangements in the context of an attempt to preempt a repeat of those events.