Paris security forces will
receive reinforcements to protect fan zones during Euro 2016 soccer
matches held in the French capital, the city's police force said on
Thursday.
Police chief Michel Cadot's office released a statement after Le Point
magazine reported that Cadot had recommended the EiffelTower fan zone
be closed during games played at stadiums in the city and its outskirts.
France, which remains in a state of emergency after militants killed
130 people on November 13 in assaults across Paris on cafes, at the
national Stade de France stadium and a music hall, hosts the month-long
championship from June 10 to July 10.
About 2.5 million spectators are expected for 51 soccer matches
involving 24 teams in games played at 10 stadiums across France. There
will also be fan zones for crowds watching games on giant TV screens in
cities, including at the EiffelTower, where up to 100,000 people are
expected on match days.
Security experts and police officials have said protecting those areas will be the biggest challenge due to a lack of resources.
Aware of the pressures on the capital's police force to secure fan
zones and stadiums, a security committee had "immediately reinforced the
resources that will be available to the police chief ... to ensure an
optimal level of security at all these sites," Cadot's office said.
Police officials have told Reuters that security officials
were worn out after having to contend with militant attacks, violent
street protests and a migrant crisis.
"The police chief did express his reservations and asked to close the
EiffelTower fan zone during matches at the Parc des Princes and Stade
de France," Stanislas Gaudon of the National Police Alliance Union told
TV channel iTele.
A source inside Paris's City Hall also confirmed Cadot's initial recommendation.
Islamic State militants have threatened a campaign of bomb attacks on
large crowds in France, the head of the DGSI internal intelligence said
on May 19.
The interior ministry has said some 90,000 police, soldiers and
private security agents will be deployed to ensure the safety of the
tournament.
No comments:
Post a Comment