Security is tight in Paris, as the city prepares for its extravagant opening ceremony for the Olympic Games on July 26.
While officials are not anticipating a specific threat to the opening ceremony, tensions remain high due to ongoing global conflicts, such as those in Ukraine and Gaza, which have transpired since the last Olympics in Beijing in 2022.
An SNCF spokesman told The Epoch Times by email that it was the “victim” of several simultaneous “malicious acts” affecting the Atlantique, Northern, and Eastern high-speed lines. French police investigations are ongoing and disruption is expected to last at least the whole weekend.
Security arrangements for the opening parade include more than 50,000 staff, comprised of about 45,000 police, 10,000 soldiers, and about 2,000 private security staff, positioned along the river Seine and surrounding monuments.
More than 300,000 spectators are expected to watch as the nearly 7,000 athletes arrive on a procession of barges along the river.
Meanwhile, more than 150 people have been put under surveillance measures, limiting their movements, as part of a recently initiated security operation, which authorities have implemented under anti-terror laws.
Due to ongoing unrest over the Gaza conflict, competitors from Israel have been placed under 24-hour protection by elite tactical units, who will escort them to and from events, according to officials.
In addition, the Seine’s riverbed has been swept for bombs, while all air travel around Paris will be closed. Mirage 2000 fighter jets will be on standby to intercept aircraft straying into restricted airspace.
The opening ceremony will also host world leaders from multiple countries, who will be protected by snipers in the surrounding areas.
The event will also see protection from radar-surveillance planes and Reaper drones, which are ready to monitor sensitive sites from the air.
“Everything is ready, even the (Olympics) rings are there,“ Mr. Macron said. ”Enjoy the Games!”
Mr. Macron’s government has recently been weakened by a snap election, which has put the French government into a political limbo.
The heightened security around the Olympic Games affected those living in the area due to an imposed security zone, which included the erection of metal barriers to fence off adjacent neighborhoods.
The security zones require authorization via QR codes for entry, which were installed before the opening ceremony. The security has dismayed residents and also impacted local businesses, including restaurants and cafes, which are seeing less footfall as a result.
A typically huge delegation of Russian athletes has been reduced to a mere 15 competitors. The athletes had to meet certain neutrality criteria to be allowed into the competition, according to requirements published by the IOC on July 20.
The same applies to Belarus, which is sending 17 athletes to compete as neutrals. A comparatively small delegation of 140 athletes from Ukraine is also participating, the smallest since the collapse of the Soviet Union.
The opening ceremony is set to begin at 10:30 a.m. EST (16:30 local time). It will pass by multiple prominent landmarks, including the Louvre Museum and Pont des Arts bridge, marking the first time an opening ceremony has taken place outside of a stadium.
Organizers are hoping for some rays of sunshine amidst forecasts for a mostly cloudy sky.
It’s been a century since the Olympic Games were last hosted in Paris. This year’s event will feature more than 10,500 athletes, with the competition starting on July 31.
The first of the 329 gold medals will be awarded on August 3. The closing ceremony takes place on August 11.
