Other MoA event in France on Thu 21st May 2026

Sixty-five people were arrested after trouble flared in Paris on Thursday night between football supporters ahead of the final of the Coupe de France. Six people were injured, with one reported to be in serious condition, Paris police confirmed on Friday.

Fans of Nice and Lens had gathered in the capital ahead of the final, which was scheduled to be played at Stade de France on Friday night. On Thursday evening, around 100 Nice supporters gathered in the 10th arrondissement, “clearly looking for trouble,” according to the police chief.

The supporters became involved in a mass brawl at Quai de Valmy on the Canal Saint-Martin. Police intervened and arrested 65 people for “involvement in a group with the intent to commit violence.”

Authorities said some of those detained were carrying knives, balaclavas, and protective gloves.

The mayor of the 10th arrondissement, David Belliard, condemned the violence in a post on X, writing: “A procession of far-right activists right in the heart of Paris, fighting and causing trouble. These people have no business being here. We want neither them nor their racist ideology here.”

French media reported that a bar in the 10th arrondissement was damaged during the unrest. While the condition of the injured has not been fully disclosed, witnesses claimed one person suffered a throat injury from flying glass, while another was reportedly stabbed.

The Coupe de France final had already been classified as a high-risk event, with authorities deploying around 2,000 police officers for security.

Local officials in Seine-Saint-Denis also banned the sale of alcoholic drinks in the immediate vicinity of Stade de France, as well as the consumption of alcohol on public roads nearby.