Unprecedented security mobilization is underway in the French capital, Paris, in preparation for the opening ceremony of the 2024 Olympic Games, scheduled for tomorrow (July 26 - August 11) and the Paralympic Games (August 28 - September 8). The largest deployment of security forces in France's history has been announced, with up to 75,000 police, soldiers, and security personnel patrolling Paris at all times. Roads and metro stations have been closed, approximately 44,000 barriers have been erected, and an advanced system of QR codes has been established for residents and others seeking access to the Seine River and its islands.
Around 100 bomb disposal divers will be present at the opening ceremony to intervene in case any explosives are discovered during the water parade. High-spot sharpshooters will be deployed on rooftops along the Seine to neutralize any armed individuals who may target the crowds. Security measures in the skies above and the streets of Paris are exceptionally high, with a designated "temporary no-fly zone" established 150 km away, restricting air traffic during the opening day.
Air traffic at Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport, Paris Orly Airport, and Beauvais Airport will be halted, while air force units will coordinate responses concerning drone threats. This comes as the Paris prosecutor announced Wednesday that a 40-year-old man of Russian descent was arrested Tuesday in his Paris apartment on suspicion of planning to "destabilize the Olympic Games." He has been accused of "acting as an agent for a foreign power," aiming to " incite hostilities in France," which are crimes punishable by 30 years in prison, according to a statement from the Paris prosecutor's office.
During a search of his home in Paris, police found items "raising concerns about his intention to organize events that could likely destabilize the Olympic Games." Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin stated in an interview Wednesday that a young man was arrested in Gironde, southwestern France, on suspicion of "planning a violent act against the Olympics." The police arrested the 18-year-old on Tuesday for allegedly planning to target the "Olympic organization," according to Darmanin.
The Summer Olympics in Paris 2024 are taking place amidst evident security concerns and rising geopolitical tensions, including the Gaza war. Paris hosts the 2024 Olympic Games five decades after 11 Israeli athletes were killed by Palestinian militants at the Munich Olympics in 1972. Despite the Israeli Olympic team's efforts to feel secure at their training base in Croissy, about 20 kilometers west of Paris, signs of tension were apparent.
