The man in charge of policing the Champions League final in Paris has apologised for using tear gas against Liverpool fans outside the stadium.
Didier Lallement offered sincere regrets for the trouble and admitted failures in the security operation.
But he also defended his handling of the chaos last month, saying his "red line" was to save lives.
French authorities blamed late arrivals and fake tickets for overcrowding and chaotic scenes before the match. Liverpool fans - including children - were tear-gassed and pepper-sprayed outside the stadium by police ahead of the final between Liverpool and Real Madrid on 28 May.
Then as they left the area, some fans were were attacked by 300 to 400 local youths, Mr Lallement said.
"It was obviously a failure, because people were pushed around or attacked even though we owed them security," Mr Lallement told the French Senate on Thursday. He said his force was not prepared for the scale of the problem that thousands of fake tickets caused.
He explained that using tear gas outside the Stade de France was the only means they had to get the crowd to move back without charging at them: "I think it would have been a mistake to charge at people."
He added that appeals had been made for supporters to move back but they had not worked.
The police chief was aware that families were caught up in the chaos but he insisted it was absolutely necessary for the match to get underway because the stadium was full.