A ban on the Palestinian flag in the French town of Chalon-sur-Saône has been instigated by the local mayor.
The move came in the aftermath of trouble at the Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) victory in the Champions League final over Inter Milan, which was held at the French capital’s Parc de Prince stadium.
Gilles Platret argued the banner served as a “symbol of riot” during the unrest across the country and his town in eastern France.
He said “football served as a pretext” but “the real motive was marked by the presence of a Palestinian flag” during the celebrations of the team’s win.
“After the legitimate celebrations by Parisian fans, individuals from the outskirts of our city seized the opportunity to create disorder with a political motive”, Platret said on June 1.
Two people died and hundreds were arrested across France after PSG’s win on May 31, according to the French interior ministry.
In the south-west town of Dax, a 17-year-old boy died after being stabbed in the chest late on the evening, of May 31, local media reported.
A 23-year-old man who was riding a scooter in central Paris was also killed after being hit by a vehicle, the prosecutor’s office said.
According to the mayor, rioters launched fireworks at police, set fire to public property and hurled cobblestones and bottles at police officers.
One of the ringleaders, he claimed, repeatedly targeted police while brandishing a Palestinian flag as a symbol of mobilisation, something he said “clearly indicated a political intent”.
A municipal decree will now prohibit the display and sale of Palestinian flags in Chalon-sur-Saône, a town of roughly 45,000 inhabitants. Markets will also be barred from selling the flag.
The organisation France Palestine Solidarité 71 denounced the measures in a press release.
“We were shocked and astonished to learn of Gilles Platret’s statement,” it said.
It argued that the timing of the mayor’s decision could not be ignored.
“This statement comes at a time when, throughout the world and in France, leading figures from all political backgrounds, including prominent Jewish figures, are denouncing the ongoing genocide and demanding an immediate ceasefire.
“How can we fail to see this statement as a fallacious and unworthy pretext?” it said.
While the violence in Chalon was limited, major clashes also erupted in Paris, where numerous shops were looted.
Videos circulating online showed cars being set ablaze and smashed windows, including one incident where two women were still sat inside a vehicle that was torched.
C’est grave ce que certains ont fait cette nuit. D’accord le PSG sont champions mais de là à terroriser des jeunes filles ? pic.twitter.com/c7MiQ4g7EP
— AQABABE (@AQABABE_) June 1, 2025
The scenes of chaos overshadowed PSG’s historic Champions League win.
Speaking on CBS Sports Network, French forward Ousmane Dembélé urged fans to celebrate peacefully and avoid violence.
The unrest has reignited France’s debate on immigration and integration.
Right-wing French politician Eric Zemmour said on June 1: “More scenes of riots in Paris. But be careful, you absolutely must not ask the touchy question: where do these people come from? And why are they still here?”
Interior minister Bruno Retailleau condemned the unrest as “barbarism” and called for a tougher judicial approach to complement police efforts in prosecuting rioters.
National Rally President Jordan Bardella criticised Retailleau, saying the government had underestimated the security threat and failed to act decisively.
“Bruno Retailleau speaks of ‘barbarians’ in the streets of Paris. Tonight we have further proof that words, even harsh ones, will never replace action,” Bardella said.
“He will have to explain this fiasco.”
