Le Figaro Nice
Spectators who pass security checks without being systematically searched by an agent.
This is what new generation gantries allow, tested on a large scale during the Nice carnival (Alpes-Maritimes) on the days of corsos and flower fights.
Carnival-goers, accustomed to a reinforced security system for several years due to the terrorist threat, are even surprised.
At each of these colorful parades of this 139th edition on the theme of “pop culture”, more than 20,000 people flock to the four stands installed on the famous Place Masséna and the one mounted on the Promenade des Anglais.
At the start of the festivities, which began on February 17 and will end on March 2, long queues formed, even going so far as to discourage some people.
Delays could exceed thirty minutes.
With these gantries from the American company “Evolv technology”, a branch of “Algiz security”, nearly 4,000 spectators per hour can enter the enclosure without necessarily being patted down.
“A gantry like ours replaces twenty normal ones
,” praises Sascha Kunkel, the president of the company, part of which is based in Monaco.
Using artificial intelligence, these gantries, equipped with a camera, scan the passages without “beeping” for a phone, keys, a wallet, or coins in the pockets.
On the other hand, if it is a weapon (even fake) or any blunt object, the machine changes from green to red and the individual is taken to a physical search.
Connected to a tablet, the portals even frame the area of the body to be controlled in red.
The agent can then specify the nature of the object detected.
“The gantry learns from what it detects
,” explains Sascha Kunkel.
This technology appeared across the Atlantic four years ago and is now deployed in
“a large number of stadiums but also in
schools
”
, explains the founder.
It was tested in England, in Monte-Carlo during the professional tennis tournament, or even for the “fan zone” at Place de la Concorde during the Rugby World Cup for the France-Italy match, on 6 October 2023. In Menton, for a parade of the lemon festival, the porticos were installed to, as in Nice, facilitate the passage of the numerous spectators.
Read alsoIn Nice, 17 private security agents soon deployed in the sensitive Moulins district
21,000 euros rental
The cost of such a rental amounts to 21,000 euros but therefore requires fewer staff and fewer “classic” cranes.
For the Nice carnival, this new security airlock was positioned at the privileged entrance for spectators, on the Avenue Jean-Médecin side.
The experiment was validated by the Alpes-Maritimes prefecture, the device is approved and complies with European standards, indicated the municipality of Nice.
“We could not afford such delays, with the risk of crowd movement, this is yet another innovation,”
said Mayor Christian Estrosi.
Imagine that in an airport, it would be a game changer!”
The Horizons councilor also sees it as
“a first step”
and is once again considering using this system for other large-scale events such as
“the Tour de France or July 14
,” he mentioned.
“I already know that many French cities and the organization of the Paris Olympic Games are in the process of thinking
,” added Christian Estrosi.
The company claims to be in
“advanced talks”
to participate in securing certain Olympic sites, even if the various markets have not yet been awarded.
“There are 20 to 30% more positive tests, there will never be too many tests
,” assures Florent Ferrete, the executive director.
An assessment of this
“intelligent access control”
, as he calls it, will be made at the end of the Nice carnival.
Christian Estrosi added that a report will be communicated to the Ministry of the Interior and that of Sports,
“which will look at the conditions under which this could be used”
in the future.