French Riot Police Used Tear Gas, Water Cannon to Quell Fans During and After Euro Finals

Paris bore witness to unrest during and after the Euro 2016 finals, as French riot police deployed the use of tear gas and water cannons to quell crowds under the shadow of the Eiffel Tower, according to The Independent. And after France's loss to Portugal at the Stade de France, tensions continued along the Champs-Élysées.

During the game fans were trying to enter the crowded fan zone—with a capacity of 90,000—where police denied them entry, and tensions soon broke out. Fans wearing french flags over their faces threw bottles at police officers wielding batons, as trash fires billowed smoke around them.

Première utilisation du canon à eau à l'instant. #TourEiffel #FRAPOR #Euro2016 pic.twitter.com/KlB4yVx9Qq
— Remy Buisine (@RemyBuisine) July 10, 2016

L'incendie de la voiture au niveau du #Trocadero. Interventions des pompiers et des CRS à proximité. #FRAPOR pic.twitter.com/ZYg9ggcFU9
— Remy Buisine (@RemyBuisine) July 10, 2016

That's when the French police unleashed teargas to disperse crowds at the Eiffel Tower fan park.#Euro2016Final pic.twitter.com/h57bYdXqsc
— mzwandile mbeje (@mzwaimbeje) July 10, 2016

Charge des CRS, jets de projectiles contre lacrymo. #FRAPOR #EURO2016 #TourEiffel pic.twitter.com/Kspdj25bDB
— Remy Buisine (@RemyBuisine) July 10, 2016

#FRAPOR : l'autre match de ce soir c'est CRS vs. Casseurs à la #TourEiffel à suivre sur le compte de @RemyBuisine pic.twitter.com/w5ZGcL0fd5
— Loïc de Boudemange (@loic2b) July 10, 2016

After the match, police charged at fans along the Champs-Élysées—the main avenue from the Arc de Triomphe to the Eiffel Tower—as fans lit off fireworks.

Une charge des CRS sur les Champs-Elysées à l'instant. La 2eme en 5 minutes.#FRAPOR #EURO2016 pic.twitter.com/KrOxHML2o1
— Remy Buisine (@RemyBuisine) July 10, 2016

#EURO2016 rodéo voiture bas des champs élysées…. Pas de rixes. Aucun gendarmes Ni policier pic.twitter.com/m0LvYT7LUQ
— TV5MONDE Info (@TV5MONDEINFO) July 10, 2016

Police use tear gas on Champs Elysees after France win https://t.co/ATpPuVWKhp pic.twitter.com/lkD7If6SL5
— FRANCE 24 (@FRANCE24) July 8, 2016

In the wake of the ISIS attacks on the Stade de France in November, security was set as a priority for this year's Euros, hosted by France. But French authorities have come under fire for inadequately stopping fighting among fan groups early on in the tournament—with some even claiming that police have stoked the violence. For a couple of weeks, tensions between fans and fans, and fans and police, deescalated to a state of relative calm during the quarter finals and semi-finals. But the scenes from tonight appear to be a swing back in the other direction.

French police have put out alerts warning people not to come to Eiffel Tower or Champs Elysees. They say the situation is not safe
— Kaveh Solhekol (@SkyKaveh) July 10, 2016