Three days before the 2024 Olympics begin, France’s interior minister praised law enforcement for their diligent efforts in ensuring the safety of the Paris Games for thousands of athletes and millions of fans, despite significant security challenges.
Paris has deployed approximately 30,000 police officers daily for the Olympics, scheduled from Friday to August 11, with a peak of 45,000 expected for the opening ceremony along the Seine River.
In a handwritten message to tens of thousands of police officers, firefighters, bomb disposal experts, intelligence agents, and private security personnel, Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin acknowledged that hosting “the largest global event that a country can organize” has finally arrived after four years of preparation. He highlighted the unprecedented security challenges faced.
“Your task will not be easy,” Darmanin stated in a letter posted on the social platform X late Monday.
Paris has experienced deadly extremist attacks in the past, and international tensions remain high due to conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza.
Cyberattack concerns for Olympic organizers, along with apprehensions from rights groups and Games critics regarding Paris’ use of AI-equipped surveillance technology and the extensive scope of Olympic security, are additional areas of focus. These concerns suggest that such security measures might endure beyond the Olympics.
Darmanin urged law enforcement in Paris to maintain vigilance and attention to detail to ensure the safety of 10,500 athletes and millions of visitors during the Games. The Olympics will commence with an expansive open-air ceremony along the kilometers-long Seine River on Friday.
