The French transport unions celebrated the success of their strike during the Champions League final between Liverpool and Real Madrid on Tuesday, which the French government blamed for the public unrest that marred the showpiece event.
The government has primarily blamed major ticket fraud and Liverpool’s treatment of their fans for Saturday’s chaos, but it has also stated that the transit strike led to overcrowding near the Stade de France stadium.
‘The success of the strike during the Champions League final resulted in a clear demonstration of strength for the trade unions,’ the CGT and UNSA unions representing employees on Paris’ RER and RATP public transportation networks said in a joint statement.
The unions also threatened another walkout on Friday, to coincide with France’s Nations League soccer match against Denmark. Unions seek higher wages and improved working conditions.
The images outside the Stade de France, which saw several spectators, including children, tear-gassed by French police, have been termed as very sad by British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, while Liverpool Chairman Tom Werner has sought an apology from the French sports minister.
According to French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin, Liverpool gave their fans paper tickets rather than electronic tickets, which allowed for ‘huge fraud on an industrial scale.’
The crowd problem has turned into a political issue ahead of next month’s parliamentary elections, embarrassing France, which will host the Rugby World Cup in 2023 and the Olympic Games in 2024.
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