By Léa Pippinato
Published on
May 7, 24 at 5:14 p.m.
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The Olympic flame is in Hérault this Monday May 13. Departing from Mont Saint-Clair, it will pass through Sète, Balaruc-les-Bains, Juvignac to finish with the highlight of the day: Montpellier, stopover town. This therefore means that in addition to the flame, at the end of the race, there will be the official ceremony of lighting the cauldron at 7:30 p.m., on the Place de l’Europe, where 10,000 people are expected. In total, 22 kilometers, including 3.5 on water, will be covered in a single day.
Beyond the sporting and popular event, it is indeed an exceptional organization that will be set up, linked to a “very present terrorist threat”, but also “to a person who, for ideological reasons, wants to stop or interrupt the passage of the flame”, supports the prefect of Hérault François Xavier-Lauch, during a press conference organized this Tuesday May 7 at the prefecture. 1,500 police officers and gendarmes will be mobilized in the four towns where the emblem of the Olympic Games will pass.
In Montpellier, she will also be well surrounded, with 100 members of the police, including the GIGN, and 18 agents, whose mission is to run around the carriers, including a police officer from Béziers. This system also mobilizes 180 firefighters, two gendarmerie helicopters, seven drones, 80 security agents and soldiers from the Sentinel force, “with the capacity to ramp up in the event of larger events”, supports François- Xavier Lauch.
A system of scale equivalent to that of the Tour de France. All precautions are taken to protect the flame, the bearers but also the spectators, including in an aquatic environment, where the prefect of Hérault sees his skills shared with the maritime prefecture of the Mediterranean. “The security perimeter around the flame is established at 350 meters and boats will be mobilized so that other ships cannot approach the flame. Speed is limited to 5 knots,” he says.
Many prohibitions
Several orders will be taken by the prefect, including a ban on demonstrations on the route. “There is no question of banning demonstrations, but I invite the organizers to contact the Prefecture so that they take place elsewhere than on the path of the flame,” tempers François-Xavier Lauch. The transport and use of fireworks, fuel in jerry cans, household alcohol and all flammable products are also prohibited, as is the transport of weapons. It will also be prohibited to fly drones and any aircraft: small planes, paragliders, parachutes, etc. In the event of non-compliance with the rules, sanctions are obviously provided for. “For those who would like to capture beautiful images of the flame using their device, they are warned, the drone will be shot down,” warns the state representative in the department.
On the route of the flame as well as on adjacent streets, parking of vehicles will be prohibited: “During the day on Sunday, you will have to move your car. If it’s not done early enough on Monday morning, it will be impounded.” Other decrees giving priority to passing the flame depending on the nature of the route, traffic will be severely disrupted this May 13. In Sète for example, parts of the city will be split for long hours and it will then be impossible to move from one side to the other. All information is available on https://www.agglopole.fr/la-journee-de-la-flamme/
How to get around Montpellier?
In Montpellier, those who are used to parking on three specific routes, from Place du Soleil de Juvignac to Sanofi, rue du Pilori, as well as from the Arc de Triomphe to Place de la Comédie, but especially between the Château de la Piscine, avenue de Lodève to Place de l’Europe in Antigone will also have to get organized. “Approximately two hours before the flame passes, the streets concerned will be closed,” adds Marjorie Ghizoli, director of the national police. As for public transport, trams and buses, major disruptions are expected between 3 p.m. and 8 p.m., with delays and occasional outages. For the car parks, those of Foch and those of the Flower Market will be closed. Find all the necessary details on https://www.montpellier3m.fr/sport/montpellier-accueille-le-relais-de-la-flamme
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