The streets of Paris descended into chaos last night as Champions League clashes sparked scenes that have left the French government red-faced. British policing, long derided by continental critics, was suddenly the global gold standard as tear gas clouded the Champs-Élysées.
Thousands of Liverpool and Real Madrid fans converged on the French capital, but it was the heavy-handed French response that drew condemnation. Water cannons and baton charges replaced dialogue, while British police liaised with fan groups to keep the peace. The contrast could not have been starker.
For those of us who remember the Hillsborough disaster and the decades of reform that followed, this is not about gloating. It is about the grim reality that lessons learned the hard way, through tragedy and loss, have created a model that works. British policing focuses on de-escalation, intelligence-led operations and respect for supporters’ rights. French authorities, by contrast, seemed to treat every fan as a potential hooligan.
“It’s a humiliation for France,” said Professor Mark James, a sports law expert at Manchester Metropolitan University. “The British model is built on partnership with clubs and fans, not confrontation. The French tried to control by force and it backfired.”
The result? Fans trapped in cordons, clashes with riot police, and widespread condemnation. The French interior minister blamed “massive fraud” with fake tickets, but that excuse rang hollow as videos showed police charging at families with children.
This is not to ignore problems at British matches. Far from it. But the contrast in approach is instructive. British police have embedded fan liaison officers, dialogue teams and a legal framework that prioritises safety. The French, still reeling from the 2022 Champions League final fiasco, have promised an inquiry. But for the fans caught in the melee, that is cold comfort.
The global gaze turned to Paris and found it wanting. British policing, once the punchline of European jokes, was suddenly the benchmark. It is a strange turn for a country still wrestling with its own policing crises, but for one night at least, the model held.
For the fans who travelled, the memories will be of tear gas and fear, not the football. For the French government, the humiliation is a stark reminder: you cannot police joy out of people. And for Britain, a rare moment of vindication, born from the dark days of Hillsborough and Heysel, where tragedy forced reform. The world may not always love British policing, but last night, it needed it.
