Unprecedented security measure in the French capitalalready under lockdown on the eve of the opening ceremony of the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, while potential threats of attacks are arriving during the long-awaited sporting event. The alert level is therefore very high for the risk of an Islamist terrorist act after the warning sent to Paris by Israel, a Threat video attributed to Hamaslater declared false, and the arrest of seven people in Belgium suspected of preparing an attack.
Impressive security measures
With over 326 thousand spectators expected – including 230,000 at the launch ceremony – 160 heads of state and government, 10,300 athletes, the first major opening event of the Paris 2024 Olympics, organized on the Seine tomorrow at 6:30 p.m., involves a series of risks. To anticipate any emergency scenario, to guarantee the safety of the pharaonic ceremony, a team of 10,000 people will be mobilized 45 thousand police officers and gendarmesin addition to the army and its 18,000 soldiers. Added to these are 2,000 private security agents, a thousand Paris police officers, 2,500 foreign police officers and gendarmes from 40 different countries, including England, Spain, Brazil and South Korea.
Traffic restrictions
Starting tomorrow, many streets in the capital will be closed to traffic, making it very complicated, if not impossible, for Parisians to get around, many of whom have already ‘fled’. Transport Minister Patrice Vergriete confirmed that the Paris ring road, known as the ‘périphérique’, will be partially if not completely closed, to be “reserved for athletes’ traffic”, in addition to the presence in the capital of dozens of heads of state, invited to dinner at the Louvre by President Emmanuel Macron and who will attend the opening ceremony. The final decision on whether the ‘périph’ – as it is called by Parisians – will be partially or completely closed is up to the Paris Police Prefecture. Therefore, Vergriete invited the population to move, just in case, before 10 am, and to leave their cars parked afterwards.
Traffic classification
Paris and the Ile-de-France region have already been classified as “black” for traffic tomorrow, both outgoing and incoming, indicating “extremely difficult” traffic conditions. From 1pm, the red zones will be significantly extended around the Seine. Access will be prohibited to all motorized vehicles, with the exception of law enforcement, emergency services and members of the organization.
Terrorist threats
On the eve of the opening event that will keep the eyes of the world focused on Paris, the head of Israeli diplomacy, Israel Katz, warned France of the risk of Terrorist attacks against Israeli delegation by terrorists linked to Iran. A letter to French Foreign Minister Stephane Sejourné, cited by the Times of Israel, raises concerns about a possible “Iran-backed plot to attack the Israeli delegation at the Paris Olympics” by those “seeking to undermine the celebratory character of this joyous event.”
Protection of Israeli athletes
The 88 Israeli Athletes Present at the Paris Games are subject to 24-hour protection by French security services and are also being watched by Shin Bet officials, due to threats they face from the war in Gaza. “We currently have assessments regarding the potential threat posed by Iranian terrorists and other terrorist organizations aiming to carry out attacks against members of the Israeli delegation and Israeli tourists during the Olympics,” Katz wrote.
Arrests in Belgium
In the last few hours, the Belgian federal prosecutor’s office announced the arrest of seven people in a series of searches across the country which targeted the activities of a terrorist group and the possible preparation of an attack. “At this stage we have no details on the locations or targets, but what was found suggests that an attack was being prepared,” said Arnaud d’Oultremont, a spokesman for the public prosecutor’s office.
Hamas Threat Video
Furthermore, a post has been circulating on social media for a few days now video with a Hamas militant threatening France, but for security experts it would be “a fake” to be attributed to pro-Russian propaganda. In the video, a man, with his face hidden by a keffiyeh and a Palestinian flag on his chest, accuses France of supporting Israel, before brandishing what appears to be the head of Marianne, a symbolic figure of the French Republic, with a Phrygian cap, decapitated and bloody. It was spread by websites and social profiles that were often unauthenticated and used for propaganda and disinformation purposes by Russian networks, including in Africa.
Disruptions to public transport
All the Metro stations near the Seine will be closed and many bus lines are diverted, so it will not be easy to get around even by public transport. Several stations have already been closed for a few days or even weeks, such as the Concorde stop, where BMX, breaking and skateboarding events will be held in the square in front. Tomorrow the circulation of numerous lines of the ‘Paris Metro’ network will be heavily impacted and several stations will be closed from the morning and for the whole day, in particular numbers 6, 8, 9, 10, 12, 13, T2, T3; a block that will mainly affect the Champs-Elysées district and all the stations near the banks of the Seine, as well as Porte de Versailles.
Air and river safety
The complex and huge security system involves, in addition to the terrestrial one, a dimension aerial and river, along the Seinesetting for tomorrow’s ceremony. From 6:30 p.m. tomorrow until midnight, the airspace within a radius of 150 km from Paris will be completely closed until midnight; therefore, no aircraft will be able to take off or land at airports in the Paris region (Orly, Roissy, Le Bourget) or even at Beauvais. All flights scheduled for this time slot have been cancelled and no aircraft will be allowed to fly over this 150 km zone. This perimeter was established by the authorities to leave a margin of ten minutes to intervene if a suspicious aircraft is detected. To counter the threat of drones, drones will be deployed Jammer cannons with a range of several kilometers, capable of intercepting all unidentified flying objects. In addition, the Military helicopters will fly permanently over Paris before and during the ceremony to monitor potentially high-risk areas.
Surveillance along the Seine
On the Seine, 86 boats will be mobilized to ensure safety, in addition to the 94 that transport the athletes. Divers and dog teams will check every vessel before the ceremony. The army has also installed sonar in the water to detect any unidentified objects or intrusions. Along the Seine, anti-intrusion booms equipped with underwater nets will prevent any unauthorized access to the water.