Over 40 people were arrested last night as riots erupted under the Eiffel Tower following France’s Euro 2016 final defeat.
Police were called to use water cannons and tear gas on rioters who took out their frustration at France’s 0-1 loss to Portugal by throwing glass bottles.
Paris police reported that a number of disgruntled football fans, in both French and Portuguese flags, congregated at the base of the Eiffel Tower after being refused entry from the Euro 2016 fan zone which was at the maximum capacity of 90,000 people.
A number of public order offence arrests were also made outside the Euro 2016 venue of the Stade de France.
A football fan zone has turned into a battlefield in Paris as ugly protests erupted beneath the Eiffel Tower. #9News https://t.co/z6KVHNEqeR
— 9News Australia (@9NewsAUS) July 11, 2016
AFP photographers report the base of the Eiffel Tower was engulfed in clouds of tear gas during the skirmishes as riot police repelled aggressive fans who started fires on the pavement and threw bottles and other objects at the police lines.
“The arrests were for a variety of offences including disorder and vandalism,” said a Paris police spokesman.
According to Paris police, shop windows were smashed, vehicles set on fire, and CRS riot police attacked as they tried to restore order.
Hooligans clash with riot police near Eiffel… https://t.co/j18sxezNlt #Euro2016 #Paris #Riots #Portugal #France pic.twitter.com/dAeAMMv7N1
— Keywebco (@rkeyserling) July 11, 2016
“There were far too many people trying to get in,” said an officer at the scene.
“We had to try and keep them back, and that’s why tear gas was used
“Some of those ejected began to set bins on fire near the Eiffel Tower, and that’s when we intervened.
“Unfortunately there was a lot of fighting.”
Fan violence plagued Euro 2016 throughout the tournament, notably in Marseille where England and Russian fans clashed with French police. Uefa was eventually forced to threaten to eject teams if incidents of hooligan violence persisted, before eventually handing Russia a suspended sentence.
