The former French home minister expressed regret to Liverpool fans for using them as a “scapegoat” regarding the chaos that unfolded during the 2022 Champions League final in Paris. Supporters, including children, faced distressing moments with police amid misleading claims that incited the riots.
Gerard Darmanin, who is now the French Minister of Justice, described that night as the “biggest failure” of his career. On May 28, 2022, Liverpool fans reported a sense of fear for their safety as they were funneled into the Stade de France through a cramped subway and narrow lanes that couldn’t handle the massive crowd.
This situation caused severe overcrowding, which a French Senate report later labeled as a “risk of crushing.” Necessary security and ticket checks were bypassed, allowing even individuals without tickets—including a young local man who attacked Liverpool fans—to gain access to the stadium.
Just before kickoff, the turnstiles were closed, preventing many fans from entering despite having tickets. As the crowd grew, police resorted to using pepper spray and tear gas.
After the match, Liverpool supporters reported being targeted by a local gang, with police allegedly failing to provide any protection. The French government, police, and UEFA blamed Liverpool fans, asserting that the chaos was primarily due to countless individuals attempting to enter with counterfeit tickets.
On Monday, Darmanin apologized to Liverpool fans for the first time. In a conversation on his Legend YouTube channel, he admitted: “It was a mistake; I didn’t foresee it. It was a mistake on my part.”
“The scapegoat was easy to find, and I now apologize to Liverpool supporters. They were absolutely right to be upset. It was a failure,” he added.
Following the match, Darmanin claimed that chaos ensued due to “30,000-40,000 Liverpool fans,” insisting that there was no widespread ticket forgery and that claims of “industrial scale” fraud were unfounded.
Ian Byrne, the MP for Liverpool West Derby, shared with the Guardian: “He reiterated all the untruths about hooliganism and fake tickets, shifting the blame onto Liverpool supporters, who once again became victims of a state cover-up, all while true journalism sought to reveal the story behind Darmanin’s missteps.”
“This partial apology may be recognized by Liverpool fans, but Darmanin’s actions will never be forgotten or forgiven.”
A month post-match, Darmanin issued a broader apology to “all those impacted by poor management,” but stopped short of directly apologizing to Liverpool fans.
“Could the situation have been managed better? Yes,” he acknowledged in an interview with French radio station RTL. “Am I partly responsible? Yes. Naturally, I’d like to apologize to anyone affected by the mismanagement of this event.”
A Guardian investigation in the aftermath shed light on the harrowing experiences faced by Liverpool fans during the event.
In March, a judge ruled that Liverpool fans affected by the incident could pursue personal injury claims in the UK after attempting to hold European football governing bodies accountable.
