2,200 km from Rabat, Paris vibrated as if the match had been played there. Sunday January 18 in the evening, the 18th arrondissement and the Champs-Élysées resonated with the sound of horns after Senegal’s victory against Morocco in the final of the 35th African Cup of Nations.
The scenario at the end of the match undoubtedly amplified the exultation of the supporters. The penalty missed by Brahim Diaz in the last seconds of regulation time, then Pape Gueye’s goal in overtime gave the Lions of Teranga a coronation with an ubiquitous scenario.
Around 11 p.m., when the final whistle blew, there was an explosion of joy in the northeastern neighborhoods of the capital, where Senegal and Morocco have a large diaspora. On the Barbès side, thousands of people celebrate the title of the Lions of Teranga. The streets light up with the red glow of smoke bombs while green, yellow and red flags flutter from car windows.
The same goes for the Champs-Élysées side. However, a prefectural decree taken on Friday prohibited any gathering of supporters on the avenue. A substantial system had been deployed: eight sections of CRS, two Motorized Brigades for the Repression of Violent Action (Brav-M), and roadblocks installed on Avenue George-V and Avenue de la Grande Armée to filter vehicles.
Mortar fire and tear gas
But some managed to thwart the system and although the atmosphere was generally festive, tensions nevertheless arose. “Spontaneous gatherings of supporters were observed. These gatherings, initially festive, generated disturbances to public order,” confirms the Ministry of the Interior.
These gatherings “limited in particular in the Paris region, in Lyon and Avignon” systematically led to interventions by the police “in accordance with the instructions received from the Minister of the Interior” continues the institution. Nationally, the Ministry of the Interior counted 63 arrests as well as 14 police officers slightly injured.
In Paris and Île-de-France, “the evening’s results stood at 23 arrests, including 16 in Paris for intentional violence against a person holding public authority (PDAP), contempt, rebellion, use of mortar,” indicates the Paris police headquarters.
To this figure are added 169 fines “for contravention of the decree prohibiting the gathering of supporters as part of the CAN final on the Champs-Élysées to which are added 53 traffic offenses and 10 criminal fixed fines”, continues the institution, which nevertheless considers that the surveillance and protection system put in place by the police headquarters “made it possible to anticipate and effectively contain disturbances to order public and the phenomena of delinquency”.
On videos filmed by witnesses, we see supporters climbing onto cars and trucks. In several places, fireworks mortars are fired in the night, in violation of the prefectural decree which prohibits all pyrotechnic devices.
In several places in Paris, police dispersed crowds of pedestrians on the sidewalks of the Champs-Élysées with tear gas, causing crowd movements. Also on Boulevard Barbès, the police charged to disperse the gatherings. Access to the top of the Champs-Élysées has also been completely sealed off.
