A massive gathering for the opening of a fast-food restaurant in the center of Paris ended in chaos and confrontations, prompting police intervention. The event, organized by the chain Krousty Sabaïdi with the participation of influencer Fares Salvatore, had to be canceled after the disturbances, with over 3,000 attendees surpassing all expectations.
The event promised 1,000 free portions of fried chicken, but the public turnout was three times the promotion's capacity. The situation became uncontrollable, leading to theft and assaults among attendees. The police, who had to deploy a riot control operation, used tear gas to disperse the crowd, and videos of the stampede went viral on social media.
The Paris Police Headquarters confirmed the presence of a "compact crowd" and condemned the incident in a statement on the social network X (formerly known as Twitter), describing the event as "pathetic" and lamenting the confrontations.
On the other hand, the chain Krousty Sabaïdi issued an official statement expressing being "extremely moved by the public's enthusiasm," acknowledging that the turnout exceeded all their expectations. The company stated that, for safety reasons, they had to cancel the event, thanking the security forces for their "quick and coordinated management," which, according to them, prevented "major incidents" and resulted in "zero injuries." Krousty Sabaïdi reaffirmed their commitment to deliver the promised 1,000 portions in the future.