Scuffles with police in Paris as fans gather for soccer final

Police in Paris clashed briefly with crowds outside the Paris St Germain soccer stadium as the Champions’ League final against Bayern Munich got underway on Sunday, while people were turfed out of some bars for not respecting social distancing rules.

Soccer fans gathered in bars and restaurants in the French capital on Sunday evening to watch the game, being played in Lisbon, amid concerns over the protective measures being taken as coronavirus infections tick up in France.

Government officials had urged people to wear masks in public before the game, and several bars were closed. More than 200 people were cautioned by police for not wearing face-coverings, Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin said on Twitter.

Earlier in the evening, people threw projectiles at police vehicles outside the Parc des Princes stadium in Paris and were dispersed with tear gas, video footage on social media showed.

Paris police officials said the incident had been resolved without any arrests.

Inside the stadium, several thousand people gathered to watch the final on giant screens. Many were not wearing masks, according to a Reuters witness.