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Security has been a top concern of the much-anticipated summer Olympics in Paris, which kicked off on July 26. French President Emmanual Macron, Olympics organizers, police authorities, and private security forces have been working closely to ensure the safety of athletes and spectators.
Forces on the ground are comprised of 35,000 French police (increased to 45,000 officers during the Opening Ceremony), 10,000 soldiers, and 20,000 private security personnel. Additionally, the NYPD has dispatched a contingent of officers to assist as needed.
In particular, the Opening Ceremony presented enormous challenges, as it was held outdoors along the Seine with some tens of thousands in attendance.organizers had to secure the long perimeter,while contending with an uncontrollable factor: the weather. For example, when it became clear that it would rain on the Friday of the event, Lady Gaga pre-recorded her opening song due to the danger of performing in the rain. The performance was later aired on television.
Weather mishaps, however, were the least of organizers’ worries. Safety was the the primary concern of all authorities, and they successfully managed the Opening Ceremonies despite numerous challenges. Following the inaugural event, French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin posted on X:
“OLYMPIC GAMES: WE DID IT! After four years of intense work to prepare for the world’s biggest sport event, we have never been prouder of our security forces and Ministry of the Interior agents! Congratulations to each and every one of them for their immense commitment to a safe event.”
Remaining security concerns include:
- Terrorism: Parisian security forces have intercepted more than 50 drones since the start of the Olympics. Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin emphasized that not all were flown with malicious intent. However, at this point authorities are not distinguishing between malicious and recreational drones.
Early in the Olympics, there were coordinated fiber optics sabotage and arson attacks. Both incidents were swiftly handled by security officials, minimizing the damage.
Along with such incidents, French authorities have also detained more than 40 environmental activists since the start of
the Olympics. They have also exercised unprecedented use of discretionary powers to
prevent hundreds of minorities from approaching the events, with some required to report to the police daily. While some critics argue this amounts to racial profiling, French Interior Minister Darmanin asserts that only individuals who pose a security threat are being monitored.
- Cybersecurity: French authorities have detected and thwarted 68 cyberattacks connected to the Paris Olympics. For context, organizers of the previous Olympics in Tokyo reported 450 million cyber-attacks.
However, beyond the scope of French authorities are cyber campaigns designed to intimidate competing athletes. Reports suggest that Iran is behind a cyber campaign aimed at intimidating Israeli athletes, evoking memories of the 1972 Munich Olympics, where 11 Israeli athletes were killed by Palestinian terrorists.