- Paris police will deploy 4,000 officers and 1,600 stadium staff for the France-Israel UEFA Nations League match, citing safety concerns after recent violence in Amsterdam.
- The match is considered a high-risk event due to political tensions and previous attacks on Israeli fans.
- French authorities are working closely with Israeli security forces to prepare, and anti-terrorist measures will be in place.
- The attacks on Israeli fans in Amsterdam last week were condemned as antisemitic, with several arrests made following the violence.
- Despite recent incidents, French officials have confirmed the match will go ahead, emphasizing the symbolic importance of maintaining security and promoting universal values in sports.
Paris police announced Sunday that 4,000 officers and 1,600 stadium staff will be deployed for the upcoming France-Israel football match on Thursday, part of the UEFA Nations League, to ensure safety in and around the Stade de France and on public transportation. The increased security comes in the wake of violent attacks on Israeli fans in Amsterdam the previous week.
The match has been classified as a “high-risk event” due to the tense political climate, with French police chief Laurent Nuñez emphasizing that authorities would not tolerate any violence. “There’s a context, tensions that make that match a high-risk event for us,” Nuñez told French news broadcaster BFM TV. “We won’t tolerate any violence.”
A significant portion of the police force, approximately 2,500 officers, will be stationed around the Stade de France, located just north of Paris, with an additional 1,500 officers deployed across the city and public transport networks. Authorities will establish an anti-terrorism security perimeter around the stadium, and security checks will be intensified, including systematic pat-downs and bag searches.
French officials have also coordinated with Israeli authorities and security forces to prepare for the event. The heightened security comes after violent incidents in Amsterdam last week, when Israeli fans were targeted by groups of young people incited by social media calls to attack Jewish individuals. The assaults, which left five people needing hospital treatment and led to numerous arrests, were widely condemned as antisemitic by authorities in the Netherlands, Israel, and across Europe.
In response to these incidents, Dutch police detained several individuals on Sunday who were involved in an unauthorized demonstration in central Amsterdam following the attacks.
Despite the unrest, French Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau confirmed on Friday that the match would proceed as planned, stating, “For a symbolic reason, we must not yield, we must not give up.” Retailleau also referenced the upcoming Paris Olympics, highlighting the importance of upholding the “universal values” of sports in the face of rising tensions.
