This week, since the attack in Moscow, France moved to the highest level of its Vigipirate security plan in the face of the terrorist threat. Enough to question the level of security needed for the celebration of an event like the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games in July. And above all, if it can be assumed.
The opening ceremony of the Paris Olympic Games, scheduled for Friday, July 26, represents an immense security challenge for the organizers, reinforced by the attack on March 22 in Moscow and the terrorist threat that weighs, more than ever, in the country. Four months before the start of the Games, rumors of an even tighter oversight of the opening ceremony are multiplying. Worse, according to some sources, internal security encouraged the ministry to abandon its outfit in its current form.
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In any case, this is what a journalist from Europe 1 says, citing a source at the DGSI (Directorate General of Internal Security), who tells him that the message has been passed to the Minister of the Interior, Gérald Darmanin. . “We have to go to plan B,” the DGSI had made clear to Beauvau. Plan B being, in this scenario, to review widely the organization of the parade as it is currently designed, with an itinerary of more than 6 kilometers along the Seine.
Another reduced caliber?
On Thursday March 28, Gérald Darmanin had an appointment with the DGSI for a meeting on the subject. At the end of this meeting, the minister wanted to thank the internal security agents on social networks for “their commitment, especially in this Olympic year when our country will organize the biggest event in the world and a unprecedented inauguration ceremony” invalidate the information that suggests a show emptied of part of its substance.
With the agents of the DGSI, who every day are fully mobilized for our security, against terrorism and foreign interference. Thanks to them for their commitment, especially in this Olympic year when our country will organize the biggest event in the world and a… pic.twitter.com/7X3XybKzyV
— Gérald DARMANIN (@GDarmanin) March 28, 2024
Have they ever mentioned the possibility of further reducing the number of spectators authorized to attend the opening ceremony? Three weeks ago, in front of the senators, the minister indicated that “only” 326,000 people could attend the parade, almost half of what had been announced by the organizers, that is to say an audience of 600,000 people. Three years ago, the mayor of Paris, Anne Hidalgo, also mentioned … 2 million viewers.
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The caliber will ultimately be much lower, and could be further reduced if the terrorist threat intensifies further. Adjustments are therefore still largely possible, which is not bad according to Guillaume Farde, a security expert interviewed by franceinfo. According to him, having “a permanent risk assessment” for this type of event is “very healthy”. The reduction of the number of spectators or the distance of the parade are, according to him, part of the “adjustments” that is “completely normal” to consider at the moment.