City as a high security wing
Fear of terrorism reigns supreme in Paris before the Olympics
November 30, 2023, 8:01 a.m
When the Summer Olympics take place in Paris next year, the French capital will be transformed into a high-security wing. However, the police chief’s announcements are not met with unqualified love everywhere. Quite the opposite. Politicians are outraged.
The Paris police chief has announced drastic security measures for next year’s Summer Olympics (July 26 to August 11, 2024), sparking an outcry from politicians who fear for citizens’ freedoms. Laurent Nunez told Le Parisien newspaper in an interview that residents near the Olympic venues would have to apply for a QR code that would allow them to pass through police barriers.
The residents of the restricted areas would also have to register all visitors who wanted to watch the events from their balconies, their windows, their roofs or even from their houseboat. “Anyone entering a restricted area must be able to provide a valid reason for their presence,” Nunez said. The police chief also emphasized that motorized traffic would be severely restricted for the duration of the games.
Special rules will apply during the opening ceremony on July 26, when the high-security areas will be “very large,” Nunez said. “The only people who will be allowed through are people with a valid reason, so people going to their hotel or home, or people with a ticket to the ceremony,” he said.
Subway prices high, stations are closed
Some subway stations in areas that are particularly vulnerable to attacks will be closed, according to Nunez. “You can’t have open subway stations within a shelter if you don’t search everyone,” he explained. Other stops could be closed if they are too small to handle large volumes of passengers.
The announcements, which according to Nunez are still being coordinated with the government and the Paris City Hall, sparked outrage across the political spectrum in France. A total of around 15 million visitors are expected in Paris for the Olympic Games and the Paralympics in August and early September.
The announcement by local authorities that the price of subway tickets will almost double during the Olympic Games in order to cover the costs of operating the city’s local transport system caused a stir this week.