French police arrest over 160 after World Cup semifinal loss

French police arrested more than 160 people in Paris and Lyon following the national football team's 2-0 loss to Spain in the World Cup semifinal on July 14. The disturbances, which coincided with Bastille Day celebrations, involved clashes with law enforcement and the targeting of emergency services with firework mortars.

According to police, 141 people were detained in Paris and its suburbs, with most arrests linked to individuals firing mortars at police officers and firefighters. A fire station in Paris's 19th arrondissement was targeted around 11:40 p.m., though no injuries or significant damage were reported. Two suspects were later traced and arrested. In Lyon, approximately 20 people were detained after groups threw projectiles, including mortars, at officers on the central Place Bellecour, where crowds had watched the match on large screens. Authorities described those involved as hostile and particularly young, deploying riot units to disperse the gathering. Separately, a man was shot and wounded in Lyon's Guillotière district around 10:30 p.m. the same evening; one person has been arrested in connection with that incident, though the motive remains under investigation.