France has issued a request to 46 countries to send more than 2,000 police officers, as well as a “small number” of military personnel, to help secure the Paris Olympics this summer.
Organizers are currently finalizing security planning for the French capital’s first games in a century, while being on high alert against possible attacks.
The Home Office said on Friday that a request for foreign security assistance was made in January, seeking almost 2,185 additional people. This was done to help ensure the security of the games and the “spectator experience” and “strengthen international cooperation”, the ministry said, adding that “this is a classic approach of host countries to organize large international events”.
France is said to have sent 200 of its own gendarmes to the 2022 soccer World Cup in Qatar, and hosted 160 officers from other European security forces at the Rugby World Cup hosted by France last year.
Separately, France’s defense ministry has also asked for a “small number” of military personnel who could help with “very specific” tasks at the games, including dog teams, said Colonel Pierre Godillier, a spokesman for the army’s general staff.
Security is the biggest challenge for organizers of the Paris Games in a city repeatedly hit by attacks by Islamic extremists, which will welcome up to 15 million visitors from July 26 to August 11. The biggest security concern is during the opening ceremony.
We already reported that the French government raised its security alert to the highest level in light of the recent deadly attack on a concert hall in Russia. More here.
