The Summer Olympics in Paris should be secured not only by police and private security services, but also by the military. In addition to the 45,000 police and gendarmes, around 18,000 soldiers are to be deployed at the Olympic Games from July 26th to August 11th. A military base for 5,000 soldiers is being built on the outskirts of Paris. “We haven’t done anything like this since the Second World War,” said the head of the Defense Ministry’s logistics service provider, Philippe Pourqué.
Securing the opening ceremony, for which 320,000 spectators are expected, is particularly sensitive. Among other things, the security forces are supposed to examine the boats taking part in the opening ceremony on the Seine for explosives.
When monitoring crowds, cameras with artificial intelligence are to be used to detect unusual events – such as scrambles, wrong-way drivers, fires or forgotten luggage. However, facial recognition is expressly prohibited. The human rights organization Amnesty International was nevertheless skeptical: There were fears that the operation would be expanded permanently and that personal rights would be violated.
The Paris prefecture also declared six kilometers of the banks of the Seine – from Austerlitz train station to the Eiffel Tower – a security zone. All residents on the shore must undergo a safety check. Mayor Anne Hidalgo estimated that around 20,000 Parisians would be affected by the opening ceremony.
Olympic flame is accompanied by a thousand boats
A test for security forces will be the arrival of the Olympic flame on May 8th. 6,000 police and gendarmes are planned for this. The three-master Whitewhich transports the flame, is accompanied by about a thousand boats, all of which have been previously checked, according to the Interior Ministry.
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Since the attack on a concert hall near Moscow, which the Islamist terrorist militia IS claimed as its own, the highest terror alert level has been in effect again in France. Paris itself has experienced several attacks by IS terrorists. On November 13, 2015 alone, 130 people died. There is also concern that the war in Ukraine or the war in the Gaza Strip could lead to violent actions during the Olympic Games.
The risks during the Olympic Games include not only acts of violence and accidents, but also the spread of disease. For example, flu or dengue viruses could be introduced. A crisis team will therefore be available around the clock at the Institut Pasteur research center in Paris. 750 additional beds have been set up in hospitals in the greater Paris area.
The Summer Olympics in Paris should be secured not only by police and private security services, but also by the military. In addition to the 45,000 police and gendarmes, around 18,000 soldiers are to be deployed at the Olympic Games from July 26th to August 11th. A military base for 5,000 soldiers is being built on the outskirts of Paris. “We haven’t done anything like this since the Second World War,” said the head of the Defense Ministry’s logistics service provider, Philippe Pourqué.
Securing the opening ceremony, for which 320,000 spectators are expected, is particularly sensitive. Among other things, the security forces are supposed to examine the boats taking part in the opening ceremony on the Seine for explosives.
