PARIS: The ambitious schedule of the Paris Olympics made them risky and difficult to monitor, but French security forces ensured the safety of thousands of athletes and millions of fans – a “gold medal-worthy” achievement according to Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin.
The two-week sporting spectacle, which ended on Sunday, led to a security operation the likes of which has never been seen in recent French history: on the opening evening of July 26, around 75,000 police officers, soldiers and private security forces were mobilized.
There have been incidents over the past two weeks – an attack on the French railway line and a field invader during the men's 100m final – but, to the general relief of the organisers, nothing has occurred to mar the running of the event.
“These Olympic Games are about both great French medals and a great gold medal for the Interior Ministry and the security forces,” Darmanin said last week during a visit to officers on duty in Marseille, southern France.
The satisfaction and smug tone of his remarks reflected the enormous pressure and doubts that had arisen in the run-up to the Games about whether France's already stretched resources would be up to the task.
Their first challenge was to secure the Olympic torch relay, a journey through 450 French towns and territories and overseas territories.
Then came unexpected parliamentary elections in July, followed by the unprecedented opening ceremony along a six-kilometer stretch of the Seine that had given planners sleepless nights since its unveiling in 2021.
Police officers guard the Seine before the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris on July 26, 2024. (AP)
In the end, the 300,000 ticketed spectators watching from the river bank had only to face torrential rain, and the streets of the capital were flooded with uniformed officers.
“Those of us who have been here have seen the security measures here. They are impressive,” said Nicole Deal, head of security for the US team, on the day of the ceremony. “I have never seen anything like this at any other game.”
During the two-week competition, the stadiums were fully occupied; on July 30 alone, 743,000 people visited the sports venues.
Other events ranging from triathlons to marathons took place in the streets of the capital.
Around a million people lined the route of the men's and women's road cycling races on August 3 and 4.
“Without a doubt, the French security services deserve a gold medal,” French criminologist and university professor Alain Bauer, a vocal critic of the open-air format of the opening ceremony, told AFP.
He said it was due to “extraordinary investment” and “significant changes” that had led to organisers significantly reducing the size of spectators at the opening ceremony under pressure from the Home Office.
After Russia's exclusion from the Games, French officials are now planning to destabilize the Games. The French cybersecurity agency is on high alert for attacks that could disrupt the organizing committee, ticket sales or transportation.
The arrest of a 40-year-old suspected member of the Russian secret service on the eve of the Games caused a thrill.
The war in the Gaza Strip, the threat posed by the terrorist militia Daesh and the history of Islamist terrorist attacks and right-wing extremism in France also raised fears that an attack could endanger the party.
However, the security action is not a reason to celebrate for everyone.
Charities complained loudly about repressive policing of the homeless, sex workers and migrants in the run-up to the Games, while anti-Olympic protest groups said they had been prevented from exercising their democratic rights.
About 45 activists from the climate protest group Extinction Rebellion were arrested by police the day after the opening ceremony as they prepared to occupy a bridge over the Seine in central Paris.
The group “Saccage 2024”, which organizes so-called “toxic tours” to raise awareness of the dark side of the Games, said it was prevented from leading a group of about 20 people to venues in the north of Paris last week.
About 30 riot police and four police cars prevented the tour and three members of the collective were taken to a local police station for questioning.
“None of those arrested were charged at the end of their police custody, further proof that this was in fact an attempt at intimidation,” the group wrote on Instagram.
