Olympic Games 2024 - Everything for safety: Paris is like a besieged fortress
Immediately before the start of the Olympics, Paris resembles a besieged city for tourists, as there is often no way through for them. Armed soldiers patrol for protection against terror and threats, police secure roadblocks, helicopters are in the air and fast boats with officers on the Seine are on the move. The neighboring country, which has been tested in security matters, is fully mobilized.
From the beginning, security was a major theme for the Games in Paris, which has already been hit by terror several times. Forty-five thousand security forces will be in action alone for the opening of the Games on Friday. France declared the highest terror alert level in March.
Extremely high terrorist threat
As Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin recently stated, the terrorist threat in France remains "extremely high," especially before the Olympic Games. There have been several incidents in the last few days that have alarmed the response teams. Twice there were knife attacks on a police officer and a soldier, and a car crashed into the terrace of a restaurant.
However, there is no known specific threat to the security of the Olympic Games, as Interior Minister Darmanin stated just in "Le Journal du Dimanche."
However, there have been multiple arrests in connection with possible terrorist plans regarding the Games. At the end of May, investigators thwarted plans for an Islamic State (IS) or Al-Qaeda terrorist attack on a soccer game during the Games in the south of France. And recently, the Interior Minister announced further arrests. The arrest of a Russian-Ukrainian man in a hotel near the airport, who was seriously injured in the explosion of a homemade bomb, caused alarm.
15,000 soldiers in action in Paris
"Supporters of the Islamic State (IS) and Al-Qaida in Europe are planning with near certainty to attack the Olympic Games in Paris," according to an analysis by the globally active intelligence company Recorded Future on the concrete danger of attacks. Due to the security measures and the raised terror alert level, successful attacks have become less likely.
France has taken maximum precautions against such threats. In addition to the tens of thousands of police officers who were called up from all over the country to Paris and the other host cities of the Games, the army has set up a camp for 4,500 soldiers in the capital. During the entire duration of the Games, the military will mobilize a total of 15,000 soldiers.
In addition, there are security forces from other countries, who come partly to protect their own athletes, in limited numbers. Police vehicles from Qatar and officers from the Arab country were already causing a stir in Paris, patrolling the Metro with their French colleagues.
Hundreds of special forces monitor the airspace
Hundreds of special forces of the French Air Force monitor the skies from several bases, among other things, to make potentially approaching drones harmless in sensitive areas.
To monitor the movements of millions of visitors, a limited use of video surveillance based on artificial intelligence is planned in Paris. The analysis of camera images with intelligent, algorithm-based technology should enable the detection of people entering non-public or sensitive areas, as well as movements of crowds in risk areas, an unusually large gathering of people, and unattended luggage. Facial recognition via the cameras will not be possible.
Next to concrete acts of violence, France's security services are also preparing for hacking and cyberattacks during the Games. It is to be expected that there will be massive attempts to instill fear among visitors, undermine the reputation of the Games, and disrupt their course, warned security experts.
Some Countries May Launch Cyber-Attacks
Recorded Future names in its threat analysis for the Parisian Games state actors of cyberattacks besides Russia, also Iran and Azerbaijan. The country in the Caucasus has France in its sights because France supports Armenia in the conflict with Azerbaijan over the region Nagorno-Karabakh.
In connection with the Ukraine War and Middle Eastern Conflict, Recorded Future expects cyberattacks on the Olympic Games, as activists want to take advantage of international attention. Groups with ties to the Iranian government are capable of carrying out hacking attacks with more severe consequences.
Two years ago, France's Cybersecurity Agency began developing a strategy to counter such attacks. The strategy includes protecting actors and systems and prevention, but also the ability to react to concrete attacks during the Games, the French government shared.
- Amidst the heightened security measures for the upcoming Olympic Games in Paris, Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin highlighted the "extremely high" terrorist threat, emphasizing the significance of Olympic Games as a potential target.
- Due to this elevated threat level, France has deployed an unprecedented 15,000 soldiers in Paris during the Olympic Games, alongside special forces monitoring the skies and limited use of video surveillance to maintain security.
