MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 26th August, 2020) Fifteen people have stood before court in Paris for acts of violence and vandalism during the unrest following the defeat of the Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) football club in the Champions League, French Justice Minister Eric Dupond-Moretti said on Tuesday.
The clashes broke on Sunday night as hundreds of football fans took to the streets after Bayern Munich beat PSG 1-0 in the Champions League final in Lisbon, the capital of Portugal. The fans burnt flares and firecrackers, while the security forces used tear gas to disperse the crowds. Police arrested 158 people over violence and infliction of damage.
"After the clashes in Paris: 23 people were summoned, including 15 for immediate appearance [before the court]; 24 [people] will remain in lengthy custody; and two investigations were launched into looting of jewelry stores. The criminal response must be proportionate, rapid and systematic. This is the power of the rule of law," Dupond-Moretti said on Twitter.
As reported by France's Le Parisien daily, the 15 of 23 suspects were tried Tuesday afternoon. They are reportedly mostly young adults aged between 18 and 25.
As mass gatherings are still prohibited in Paris in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, police have banned the opening of bars and restaurants and consumption of alcoholic beverages in the area near the Parc des Princes football stadium.
