Terror fear reigns in Paris ahead of the Olympics
When the Summer Olympics are held in Paris next year, the French capital is to be transformed into a high-security area. However, the police chief's announcements are not met with unreserved love everywhere. Quite the opposite. Politicians are outraged.
The Paris police chief has announced drastic security measures for next year's Summer Olympics (July 26 to August 11, 2024), sparking an outcry from politicians who fear for citizens' freedoms. Laurent Nunez told the newspaper "Le Parisien" in an interview that residents living near the Olympic venues would have to apply for a QR code that would allow them to pass through the police barriers.
Residents in the restricted areas would also have to register all visitors who wanted to watch the events from their balconies, windows, rooftops or even houseboats. "Anyone entering a restricted area must be able to provide a valid reason for their presence," said Nunez. The police chief also emphasized that motorized traffic would be severely restricted for the duration of the games.
Special rules will apply during the opening ceremony on July 26, when the high-security areas will be "very large," Nunez said. "The only people who will be allowed through are people with a valid reason, so people going to their hotel or home, or people with a ticket for the ceremony," he said.
Subway prices high, stations closed
Some subway stations in areas that are particularly vulnerable to attacks will be closed, according to Nunez. "You can't have open subway stations inside a shelter-in-place unless you also search everyone," he explained. Other stations, in turn, could be closed if they are too small to handle a large volume of passengers.
The announcements, which according to Nunez are still being coordinated with the government and Paris City Hall, sparked outrage across the political spectrum in France. A total of around 15 million visitors are expected in Paris for the Olympic Games and the Paralympics in August and early September.
The announcement by local authorities this week that the price of metro tickets will almost double during the Olympic Games in order to cover the costs of running the city's public transport system has already caused a stir.
The increased internal security measures for the Olympic Games in Paris have raised concerns amidst terror fears, particularly following instances of terror in France. The drastic security measures, including closed subway stations and high subway prices, have sparked outrage from politicians, worrying about citizens' freedoms and financial burden.
Source: www.ntv.de
