These are the Olympics born in the shadow of terrorism, with a candidacy submitted in 2015 between the Charlie Hebdo attack and those of November 13.
And who, nine years later, still live with this threat.
Four months to the day before the start of the first event of the Paris Olympic Games two days before the opening ceremony of July 26 of the Seine, France returned to the attack emergency level on Sunday March 24, the highest in the world. Vigipirate plan.
An increase linked to the attack on Friday in the suburbs of Moscow, claimed by the Islamic State group, which left at least 137 dead.
No revolution for the Olympics which, less than a year before the event, continued their preparations at this level of the Vigipirate plan from October, the date of the attack in a middle school in Arras, to January.
“There is no major change at this stage with a view to the Games,” a military source told Le Parisien-Aujourd'hui in France, while 10,000 soldiers are to be deployed in the Paris region alone this summer during the 'event.
For Paris 2024, which is busy completing its last contracts in the field of private security, this does not disrupt daily life either.
Also read: After the Moscow attack, what are the risks in terms of terrorism?
“The Olympics are a target”
The question arises mainly from the side of the police and in particular the intelligence services, brought together this Thursday by the Minister of the Interior Gérald Darmanin.
But this issue has been on the table for a long time.
“France, because it carries universal values, because it is for secularism (…) is particularly threatened, particularly during these extraordinary events that will be the Olympic Games,” recalled the tenant of Place Beauvau on Monday.
More than ever on the alert since October 7
“Terrorist organizations that target the West will try to seize the opportunity of the Olympic Games to act,” Céline Berthon, head of the General Directorate of Internal Security (DGSI), warned in the Senate at the beginning of March.
For more than a year, the risk has been high, which has also been reflected in reality, especially since the endogenous movement is once again dynamic.
This is characterized by profiles of young people, very active online, high consumers of violent content and capable of taking action quickly with rudimentary means.
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The authorities have feared, for several months, attacks motivated by the tense international context, in particular by the attack of October 7 and Israel's offensive on the Gaza Strip.
They also fear that the propaganda of certain Islamist terrorist groups could “inspire” people to take action, or that these organizations will succeed in bringing potential attackers into France.
“Serious criminal figures can also act on commissioned service in this context,” explains a security source.
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But several measures have already been taken.
One, checking the profile of Olympic volunteers, employees or service providers.
The screening, that is to say the consultation of police and intelligence files, has already led to the exclusion of 715 people, including 10 on S files, from the organization of the Games.
“That does not mean that these people were necessarily planning to take action, but we are not taking any risks,” the Interior Ministry explains.
Nearly a million of these surveys need to be completed.
The gauge of the opening ceremony further reduced?
Two, the profound modification of the opening ceremony.
From a party open to all and expected to welcome 600,000 people, the evening of July 26 on the Seine has transformed into a celebration which will welcome 320,000 spectators, including 220,000 free by invitation.
A way of strengthening the security of an event whose exceptional format in the heart of Paris makes it very exposed to the terrorist threat.
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This is still likely to change the evening, the distribution of invitations of which is still under discussion.
Gérald Darmanin does not refrain from further reducing the gauge of the opening ceremony if he considers that the risks are too great to bring together so many people along the river.
“You just need to deactivate the guests' QR codes, it's entirely possible,” says the minister's entourage.