A violent confrontation erupted in Paris after a car rammed into a crowd of Paris Saint-Germain supporters celebrating their team’s Champions League win over Arsenal. The vehicle was later chased down by a group of youths and set on fire in a nearby street.

Footage of the burning car quickly spread across social media in the early hours of Thursday morning. At least three people were injured in the collision, one seriously, according to a police source quoted by Le Parisien. The insider said: “The worst incident so far involved a car apparently being driven into a group of PSG fans. At least three supporters were injured, one seriously, and others were sent flying.

A gang then chased the car, setting it on fire and leaving it to burn after they forced it to stop in a side street.” First responders were seen carrying one victim on a stretcher.

It remains unclear who was driving the high-end vehicle, as the occupants reportedly fled the scene on foot.

One unverified clip appeared to show large numbers of youths involved in disorder. The flaming wreckage was filmed on Rue Christophe-Colomb, just off the Champs-Élysées, not far from where thousands of PSG fans had gathered to mark their team’s 2–1 second-leg victory over Arsenal, securing a 3–1 aggregate win.

According to broadcaster BMFTV, police had made 44 arrests linked to the disturbances by this morning. One man was reported to be critically injured as a result of the car crash.

There has been no confirmation on whether any of those detained were the car’s occupants.

The incident was the most serious among a night of chaos in the French capital, where PSG fans—many wearing balaclavas or hoods — clashed with riot police in multiple locations.

Video footage showed officers charging crowds and deploying tear gas in an effort to break up large gatherings.

One clip circulating online showed supporters running from police lines while covering their faces with scarves. Another showed a fan pouring water into his eyes after apparently being tear-gassed.

French police had deployed around 2,000 officers in anticipation of trouble, particularly given previous violent episodes involving PSG’s hardcore fan base.

Before kick-off, tensions were already high. Police were seen using tear gas near the Parc des Princes stadium to disperse fans, with reports of scuffles and attempts to push through security lines.

A caption on one social media video read: “Entire streets are tear-gassed by the police ahead of Parc des Princes. Parisian fans are getting the party started two hours before kick-off.”

The violence continued after the final whistle, particularly along the Champs-Élysées, where flares were lit and fireworks set off. In one clip, dozens of PSG supporters were seen swarming into the road moments before the car came crashing through. Trouble was also reported prior to the game, with footage showing fans being teargassed.

While the motive behind the vehicle attack remains unknown, police said all those involved in the violence appeared to be PSG supporters rather than Arsenal fans.

The North London club, defeated 2-1 on the night and 3-1 on aggregate, had warned its travelling supporters to stay vigilant during their visit to Paris, following crowd trouble involving Aston Villa fans during an earlier European fixture in the French capital.

Before the game a police statement said:”The Paris Police Prefecture is implementing a security plan tailored to the event and the risk assessment conducted, in order to prevent any public order disturbances and combat crime,’ a police statement read.

“More than 2,000 police officers will be deployed around the Parc des Princes, as well as at usual gathering places in Paris and the inner suburbs, as well as at train stations, stations, and lines likely to accommodate spectators and supporters.”