Forty people close to the far right, who were preparing to join the Champs-Elysées in Paris after the semi-final of the World Cup won by France against Morocco, were arrested on Wednesday. They are accused of carrying prohibited weapons.
The group was arrested in the 17th arrondissement of the French capital for “group to commit violence” and carrying prohibited weapons, a police source explained. Several of the group’s members are known to the police for belonging to a movement close to the ultra-right. “They clearly wanted to do battle on the Champs-Elysées”added a police source.
Some 2,200 police and gendarmes were mobilized in Paris on Wednesday evening to supervise the festivities after the France-Morocco match won 2-0 by the Blues. In all, 25,000 people gathered on the Champs-Élysées to celebrate France’s victory over Morocco, according to the Paris police headquarters.