Police disperse crowds in Paris after Argentina wins World Cup

France’s defeat to Argentina in the World Cup led to brief clashes between fans and police in central Paris Read Full Article at RT.com

Police disperse crowds in Paris after Argentina wins World Cup

The Champs-Elysees was cleared by riot police in less than an hour amid clashes with fans

Paris saw intense clashes between police and fans on Sunday night after the French national team was defeated by Argentina in the final match of the World Cup in Qatar. Officers in riot gear were deployed to disperse crowds on the Champs-Elysees.

“In such a situation, only those who have come to fight … remain,” a police source told Le Parisien. Photos and videos published on social media show large groups of police officers in riot gear chasing fans down the Champs-Elysees while kicking and bashing them with their shields.

Fans are seen fighting back and throwing fireworks at the officers in some of the videos, though most only show the crowd running away. One video shows a man lying on the ground surrounded by police. According to Le Parisien, officers charged a small crowd that was throwing bottles and fireworks and managed to quickly disperse them.

One hour after the match, police arrested ten people for possession of fireworks, Le Parisien reported. There were no reports of injuries or property damage, though some people on social media spoke of riots in Paris following the match.