Nearly one million investigations have taken place by authorities ahead of the Paris 2024 Games, resulting in almost 4,000 people being excluded from the Olympics and Paralympics over security fears.
French news outlet CGTN Francais reported on X that France’s Minister of the Interior Gerald Darmanin revealed that some 870,000 administrative investigations had concluded that 3,922 people who could pose a threat to the security of the event will be excluded from attending the Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Darmanin had previously taken to X to announce the mobilization of police officers and gendarme personnel in Paris, posting last week in French, the translation reads: “To guarantee the security of the July 14 festivities, 130,000 police officers and gendarmes will be mobilized this weekend, including 11,000 in Paris. Thanks to them. Faced with the irresponsible people who are trying to sow disorder, I call for respect for this moment of national cohesion.”
In another post on Wednesday, Darmanin announced that beginning on Thursday, the anti-terrorism perimeter for the opening ceremony of the Games, which is scheduled to take place on Friday July 26, will be activated as the city ramps up its security efforts.
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He added: “Several tens of thousands of police officers, gendarmes and private security agents will be mobilized for your security. Thanks to them!” Darmanin also praised his agents for arresting an individual, who was reported by AP News to be an alleged neo-Nazi sympathizer suspected of targeting the Olympic torch relay.
In total, close to one million people, including athletes, coaches, journalists, volunteers, private security and even local residents at the opening ceremony, who will take place at any part of the Olympic games will be subject to advanced security checks and require a QR code to move around certain areas.
The opening ceremony, which will be the first Olympic opening event that will take place outside a stadium, will see over 45,000 police officers to secure the area. The Games head of planning and coordination Lambis Konstantinidis revealed the extra security measures are in place with more than 300,000 spectators expected to watch the no-admission parade – which sees athletes and performers sail past Paris’ most iconic landmarks on the Seine.
Konstantinidis insisted that the assassination attempt on former U.S. President Donald Trump at an election rally in Pennsylvania has not changed any of the security plans. “We have very close collaboration with the U.S. security services and its secret service. So we are sharing also any information we have,” Konstantinidis said. “We're very confident that we're on the same page but we have not had to change any of our plans as a result of that very unfortunate incident.”
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