There is no single trigger for the escalation on the sidelines of the Champions League final in Paris - this has been determined by a commission of the French Senate. In its report, the panel slammed the Home Secretary and the police, who initially blamed Liverpool fans.
"A chain of disruptions" and "mistakes in the preparation" were the causes of the chaos around the Stade de France in St. Denis at the end of May at the final of the football Champions League on May 28th. This is the conclusion reached by the French Senate commission investigating the incidents surrounding Real Madrid's 1-0 win over Liverpool. Lessons should be learned, especially for the 2024 Olympic Games in the French capital.
"The disturbances happened at all levels and not only during the deployment, but above all during the planning. Everyone was in their place and busy with their tasks without there having been any real coordination," summarized the commission's co-chairman Laurent Lafon Findings of the politicians together at a press conference.
The investigation report also expressly criticized the "political will" behind the original accusation of British fans as the cause of the chaos. In the first few days after the final, Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin wanted to blame Liverpool supporters in particular for the escalation at the stadium. In turn, they were sometimes reminded of the fatal Hillsborough disaster in April 1989, when 97 fans died.
The final of the premier class on May 28 could only be kicked off 37 minutes late. In the run-up to the encounter, chaotic scenes played out around the arena. Long queues formed in front of the entrances, and the police used tear gas in the resulting crowd. In their balance sheet after the final, the security authorities reported a total of 238 injuries and 105 arrests.
After the first hearings about the final chaos in early June, Paris police chief Didier Lallement spoke of his officers' "failure" and apologized to visitors for using tear gas. "It was a failure because people were being pushed around and attacked. It's a failure because the country's image was being eroded," said Lallement. At the same time, Lallement admitted that he had "misinformed the French Interior Ministry and perhaps made a mistake" in estimating 30,000 to 40,000 counterfeit tickets.
The security problems had also raised many questions about the authorities' plans for the 2023 Rugby World Cup and, above all, for the Olympics in the French metropolis the year after next. The report described the Champions League chaos as a "warning shot" in this regard. The extent of the difficulties has shown "that many adjustments have to be made".
