Ain't no party like a party that ruins a parade. After the Paris Saint-Germain soccer club won its first league title in nine years, a formal celebratory parade began. But fans were so excited about the win that they partied too hard, rioted and ultimately ruined the parade.
Members of Paris Saint-Germain, including former Galaxy star David Beckham, were taking part in the parade, but it ended in just five minutes. Fans got out of control, and it took 800 police officers to contain them and make 21 arrests,the Los Angeles Times reported. There were also 30 reported injuries.
"Today should have been a day of celebration for the city of Paris," the club said in a statement late Monday night. "The party was spoiled by a few hundred troublemakers who have nothing to do with football."
City officials blamed the riots partly on poor planning. Paris Mayor Bertrand Delanoe says that the riots "deeply hurt" Parisians, and French league president Frederic Thiriez apologized for holding the parade in the less secure Trocadero plaza.
French police are also accused of not doing enough to contain the fiasco, the Times of London said.
The PSG has a long history of rioting fans, leading to the death of one fan after a 2010 fight. Under former president Robin Leproux, PSG changed its ticket policies in an attempt to deter such violence, the Associated Press reported.