The Paris-Saint-Germain football club won the national football cup yesterday, and this afternoon and evening happenings where scheduled in various points of the capital.
However, fanatic supporters quickly turned the fest into a complete mess. Anti-riot police charged in, the Trocadero Plaza (Eiffel tower) and the Place de l'Etoile have been saturated with tear gas grenades.
The police (well, technically anti-riot squads belong to the army) is currently reconquering the center of Paris street by street. It seems that a remnant of 100-200 persons are playing to continue the mess as long as possible.
This is an organizational disaster. Qatar investors that own the football club will probably have difficulties to understand, as everything went well within the stadium (they had put a lot of money in security). Police is arguing that the Trocadero Plaza was a very bad choice for the celebration, because there are public works.
Well, in short that's a complete mess. :facepalm:
Latest update : the Trocadero (Eiffel tower) has been reconquered by police/army forces. What a feat of arms ! :facepalm:
---------- Post added at 08:31 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:05 PM ----------
There are already rumors that the Qatari literally "rented" Paris this evening, despite of the warnings adressed by police officials.
No too serious wounds reported for now, things are calming down as the governement probably thought it was enough and engaged massive police/army forces, but stores displays have been broken and raided, urban infrastructures degraded, as usual in those situations...
Could really have been worse, as the players of the football team were supposed to show themselves on a boat on the Seine river. A panic on the docks would have been terrible, people could have fell in water, and drowns would have been inevitable. Really, everyone has been lucky. :facepalm:
---------- Post added at 09:13 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:31 PM ----------
The Préfecture de Police just held a press conference. The outcome for the evening is :
- 30 wounded (including 3 police officers).
- 27 people arrested.
Of course there are a lot of video cameras in Paris and a lot people are probably going to be properly identified (anyways, most of them are already known from the police services, and they are quite well infiltrated by intelligence services).
The "Préfet de Police" of Paris (chief of the police, "préfet" was an high-ranking officer grade in the roman army) declared that from now, any Paris Saint-Germain football club request to organize an event on public areas will be rejected.
According to him, more than 800 policemen and anti-riot forces were ready this evening, which is already a little army.
The way I see it, this is an organization disaster caused by a terrible communication between the different entities. Everyone worked in its small corner and shared nothing, as usual here. :facepalm:
However, fanatic supporters quickly turned the fest into a complete mess. Anti-riot police charged in, the Trocadero Plaza (Eiffel tower) and the Place de l'Etoile have been saturated with tear gas grenades.
The police (well, technically anti-riot squads belong to the army) is currently reconquering the center of Paris street by street. It seems that a remnant of 100-200 persons are playing to continue the mess as long as possible.
This is an organizational disaster. Qatar investors that own the football club will probably have difficulties to understand, as everything went well within the stadium (they had put a lot of money in security). Police is arguing that the Trocadero Plaza was a very bad choice for the celebration, because there are public works.
Well, in short that's a complete mess. :facepalm:
Latest update : the Trocadero (Eiffel tower) has been reconquered by police/army forces. What a feat of arms ! :facepalm:
---------- Post added at 08:31 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:05 PM ----------
There are already rumors that the Qatari literally "rented" Paris this evening, despite of the warnings adressed by police officials.
No too serious wounds reported for now, things are calming down as the governement probably thought it was enough and engaged massive police/army forces, but stores displays have been broken and raided, urban infrastructures degraded, as usual in those situations...
Could really have been worse, as the players of the football team were supposed to show themselves on a boat on the Seine river. A panic on the docks would have been terrible, people could have fell in water, and drowns would have been inevitable. Really, everyone has been lucky. :facepalm:
---------- Post added at 09:13 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:31 PM ----------
The Préfecture de Police just held a press conference. The outcome for the evening is :
- 30 wounded (including 3 police officers).
- 27 people arrested.
Of course there are a lot of video cameras in Paris and a lot people are probably going to be properly identified (anyways, most of them are already known from the police services, and they are quite well infiltrated by intelligence services).
The "Préfet de Police" of Paris (chief of the police, "préfet" was an high-ranking officer grade in the roman army) declared that from now, any Paris Saint-Germain football club request to organize an event on public areas will be rejected.
According to him, more than 800 policemen and anti-riot forces were ready this evening, which is already a little army.
The way I see it, this is an organization disaster caused by a terrible communication between the different entities. Everyone worked in its small corner and shared nothing, as usual here. :facepalm: