“We must be resolutely optimistic. Yes, it’s a challenge, but we will take it on.”
Asked about the security issues of the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games, which will be held on July 26 in Paris, the prefect of police Laurent Nunez wanted to be reassuring, speaking to Franceinfo, this March 6.
“
We know how to do it in France.
We are still the country that was able, in 72 hours, to organize a tribute to the
Charlie Hebdo
and
Hyper Hide attacks,
”
he explained, also citing large-scale events. , like the G7 in 2019 and the visit of King Charles III last year.
“We are doing everything we can to ensure safety and allow people to live as much as possible as before.”
While this vast nautical parade on the Seine had been presented as an event accessible to all, the number of spectators was ultimately revised downwards, to 360,000 people.
During his presentation of his Olympic security plan to the Senate Law Committee the day before, Gérald Darmanin clarified that local authorities will be responsible for distributing tickets.
But
“we are going to stay on the very popular side of the promised party
,” said Laurent Nunez this Wednesday morning.
“Great hassle”
However, four months before the start of the Olympic Games, many questions remain unanswered concerning this event, the overall cost of which the prefect was unable to provide.
How will traffic flow during the opening ceremony, when 94 boats parade on the Seine?
“We won’t be able to travel for a few days
,” concedes the police chief.
“First, the parade will be put on.
Then, there will be an artistic program, with rehearsals (...) Getting around Paris on July 26 will obviously be very complicated.”
Several Parisian bridges will be used, but this
“great
traffic hassle” which will begin on July 1 will not concern all buildings, he indicated, before referring to the instructions of the Minister of the Interior:
“Gérald Darmanin insisted that we maintain five crossing axes in the capital.
It’s very important for Parisians and emergencies.”
As for the police forces mobilized - up to 45,000 on certain days - they will be assisted by security agents, whose shortage during the event is worrying.
On this point, Laurent Nunez wanted to clarify:
“Law enforcement and security agents do not have the same missions.
Everyone has their own job.
The police have sufficient numbers
,” he insisted, before mentioning the
“ongoing”
recruitment of agents to ensure security at the entrance and inside the Parisian sites. , where law enforcement is not present.
Document theft
While a vast crossover of vacationers is likely to take place on July 26, the stations will not suffer from the numbers concentrated on the Olympic sites.
"On the contrary.
Transport security will be multiplied by five
,” said Laurent Nunez, before returning to several recent security flaws.
A computer and USB keys containing security plans for the Olympic Games were stolen from a Paris town hall agent on February 26, while he was traveling on a train at the Gare du Nord.
A few days later, the general secretary of the management of the Avicenne hospital in Bobigny (Seine-Saint-Denis) also had her computer stolen in Drancy where documents concerning the Olympics were stored.
“These were not elements which call into question the security of the Games.
These plans are the police who have them, they are not things that we share
,” insisted the police prefect, without detailing the exact content of the stolen documents.