Paris 2024 Olympic Games: terrorist threat, opening ceremony, protection perimeter… Gérald Darmanin takes stock of security

Une semaine avant le début de la cérémonie d’ouverture, la circulation sera fermée sur les sites d'épreuves. MAXPPP – Thomas Padilla

Ce lundi 8 avril, le ministre de l’Intérieur Gérald Darmanin a détaillé le périmètre de sécurité déployé à l’occasion de la cérémonie d’ouverture des Jeux Olympiques.

Just one month before the arrival of the Olympic flame on French soil, on May 8 in Marseille, and while France has just raised the Vigipirate plan to its maximum level. Gérald Darmanin took stock of the security system and the terrorist threat during the Olympics with our colleagues from Parisien-Aujourd’hui in France.

"I have been intensely preparing for the Olympics for three years", begins the Minister of the Interior. “I work daily to ensure that this opening ceremony is a moment of French pride. Terrorism can affect anyone, at any time. And paradoxically, from the moment they are very secure, major events are among the safest places, those where there will be the least possibility of carrying out the act even if it is of course necessary. remain humble in the face of danger. So, yes, I think it's a good idea to keep this ceremony on the banks of the Seine."

"No terrorist threat identified"

For Gérald Darmanin, "no one is safe. Including in a city like Moscow, in a regime highly guarded authoritarian. This is proof that we are all vulnerable to terrorism". Nevertheless, according to the resident of Place Beauvau, "today, we have no identified terrorist threat to the organization of the Games", even if an attack is foiled "every two months in France".

To date, 104,000 people have tickets for the opening ceremony. The ticket office is not yet closed. 222,000 people will access the high platforms. In addition, an additional 200,000 people will view the ceremony from barges or balconies. Finally, 50,000 people will be in the fans zone of the city. There are therefore 600,000 people in total who will be monitored. "We trust in the civic duty of the inhabitants so as not to be too numerous on balconies or barges", announces Gérald Darmanin who wishes to avoid crowding.

An XXL security perimeter

Regarding the protective perimeter, as announced several months ago, spectators and residents of the area will have to register on a site which will open on May 10. Name, first name, date of birth will be necessary to obtain the QR code on your phone. Those who are not registered will therefore not be able to enter. "Once within this perimeter, your freedom will be total. A total of 45,000 police officers and gendarmes will monitor this area", reassures the Minister of the Interior, who specifies that the police will be able to demonstrate   nbsp;discernment: "if a 95-year-old gentleman arrives with his ID, we will do the work with him."

One week before the start of the opening ceremony, traffic will be closed. From 1 p.m. on the big day, no one will pass through, except emergencies. In addition, "around fifteen metro stations will be closed in this area. Symbolic places such as the Louvre, the Orsay station, the d&rsquo station ;Austerlitz will remain accessible from other entrances located outside the anti-terrorist perimeter but you will need to have reserved your tickets in advance and show your identity document", adds Darmanin, still in the columns of Parisien.