Violent scenes broke out on Friday in the Hungarian capital of Budapest, as Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain supporters clashed ahead of the Champions League final
Arsenal and PSG fans
Police are invest
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A group of Arsenal fans clashed with Paris Saint-Germain supporters in downtown Budapest on the eve of Saturday's Champions League final. Video footage was posted online of a fight breaking out on Kiraly Street in the Hungarian capital.
Fans could seen throwing punches and kicking each other, while flares were also thrown in the violent scenes. A police spokesperson said that officers are investigating 'group disorder' and working to identify the individuals involved.
"Several fans got into a fight on May 30, 2026, at around 00:20 in Budapest's 7th district, on Kiraly Street," a statement read. "The BRFK 7th District Police Department has initiated proceedings against unknown perpetrators for the crime of gang violence, within the framework of which the camera recordings are also being analysed."
Elsewhere on Friday, police say that two British supporters were arrested for disorderly conduct and damaging a vehicle. The first arrest occurred at 4pm local time on Friday.
A British man was booked alongside two Portuguese men after getting into a fight at one of the gates of the Champions Festival in Budapest. All three were taken into custody and charged with disorderly conduct.
Police add that around 11pm, a second British man was detained after climbing on top of a parked car and damaging it. As many as 4,000 officers have been deployed in Hungary's largest ever single-day police operation.
It will include policemen, patrol squads on motorbikes, dog units, mounted police and drone operators. There are fears that around 10,000 fans have flocked to Hungary without tickets.
Despite the Puskas Arena boasting a capacity of 67,000, Arsenal and PSG were only allocated 17,000 tickets each. Major General Dr. Janos Zoltan Kuczik declared: "We will take decisive action if we encounter any behaviour that disrupts public order.
"It's no secret that having fans from London and Paris in Budapest at the same time poses a significant risk, but it is our job to minimise that risk."
Arsenal and PSG fans
A fight broke out on Kiraly Street
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Arsenal and PSG fans
Tensions boiled over in Budapest
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On Wednesday, French Interior Minister Laurent Nunez said that 22,000 officers would be deployed across France this weekend. When PSG won the Champions League season, beating Inter Milan 5-0 in Munich, their celebrations turned ugly and resulted in fatalities.
Two people died and nearly 200 people suffered injuries. Police, who used tear gas, arrested almost 600 people as things such as cars, bins and mattresses were set on fire.
Kick-off in Budapest is at 6pm local time (5pm in the UK). In addition to the increased police presence, authorities have also put on extra public transport for supporters travelling to and from the Puskas Arena which is located three miles from the centre.
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