France World Cup violence ERUPTS: 2 dead as riots break out in Paris - MILLION on streets
FRENCH riot police were called in to combat violence in France as riots erupted on streets and left two fans dead hours after their football team won the World Cup in Russia.
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Celebrations turned to chaos in France with riots and looting as millions of French fans had been celebrating their team’s 4-2 victory over Croatia in the World Cup final.
More than 500 people were arrested during the evening after the win and around 100,000 police officers were out on the streets as well as 44,000 firefighters.
In the southeast city of Annecy, police reported a 50-year-old man died after breaking his neck when he jumped into a shallow canal in celebration of the French victory.
And in the small town of Saint-Felix in northern France, a man in his thirties died after crashing his car into a tree while celebrating after the match ended.
Around 845 cars were vandalised during the evening's violence.
Journalists were attacked in the northern French city of Rouen after they refused to delete a video of a violent attack and had to be treated by medical professionals.
In the French capital a bar was vandalised and thirty young people wearing ski masks ransacked a shop in the Champs-Elysées while smiling and filming themselves with cellphones.
The riots spread from the famous Arc de Triomphe to other parts of Paris.
As the revellers gradually left the popular avenue, police used water cannons to disperse the remaining people at around 11.30pm local time.
French journalist for Le Figaro, Paul Carcenac, tweeted: “Clashes between thugs who throw bottles and CRS.
"People flee through the adjacent streets.”
France: Violence breaks out in Paris after World Cup win
A french mayor in Paris, Jeanne d'Hauteserre, said: “The party is ruined because of a handful of thugs”.
The celebrations spread across the nation and in Lyon a group of youths was also seen destroying street furniture, setting alight rubbish bins and attacking the police.
In Lyon there were clashes between police and 100 young people who had managed to climb on top of a police car at an open-air showing of the match in the centre of the city.
In Frouard, a town outside Nancy, a three-year-old boy and two six-year-old girls were injured after they were hit by a motorbike during the celebrations.
Tear gas was used in order to control them.
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Authorities also said about 100 youths climbed on top of a police vehicle at an open-air screening of the match in the city centre.
The footage that emerged from Marseille showed rioting youths vandalising a bus and starting fires in the street.
In the city of Grenoble, people were throwing objects at police officers who responded by firing tear gas.
Bins were burned, windows of bus shelters broken and 30 cars were overturned.
Talking of France's success in the World cup, French football fan Goffrey Hamsik said: “It represents enormous things.
“We've had lots of problems in France these past years, this is good for the morale. here, we are all united. We mix. There is no religion, there is nothing, and that's what feels good."
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Another Le Figaro journalist reported a family being targeted by someone throwing an empty glass bottle.
Ashley Bullard tweeted: “Sad to hear reports of looting, riot police being called in and tear gas being fired in Paris following France’s World Cup win.”
Another Twitter user said: “The French people are so happy about winning that they set fire to cars, starts riots and celebrate with throwing stones at the police and firefighters.”
There were numerous incidents in other cities including Grenoble, Rouen, Le Havre, Nice, Cannes, Strasbourg and Nantes.
In the city of Lyon, around 20,000 people gathered to watch the final on a giant screen and 30 people ended up being arrested.
Several incidents were reported around the Old Port in Marseilles, ten people were arrested and two police officers were injured.
France had already announced before the weekend the country would need 110,000 extra security personnel for protecting the public during its national holiday, Bastille Day, on 14 July and the World Cup final.
The French president Emmanuel Macron was at the match in Russia where he punched the air with joy after the final whistle blew and his team were crowned the winners of the World Cup.
