“Given the high level of the terrorist threat weighing on our country, I ask you to maintain maximum vigilance and to strengthen security measures throughout the territory during major festive, cultural and sporting gatherings,” writes Mr. Retailleau in a note consulted by AFP.
“The latest events in Germany and the United States show how strong the threat is and how quick terrorists are to exploit possible weaknesses in the systems,” he adds.
He calls on prefects to take all “administrative measures” to “guarantee optimal security conditions” for these events “likely to bring together a large number of participants”.
For major events exposed to “an exceptional risk of terrorist threat”, a “decree may be issued so that access to all or part of the establishments and installations is subject to authorization from the organizer based on an administrative investigation “, he recalls in particular.
The minister also calls for paying “particular attention” to the “number” and “training of security agents and approved personnel ensuring access filtering or control of people”.
He also asks to “optimize the security” of gatherings by “preparing traffic and evacuation plans” and to ensure the “establishment of solid protection systems against ramming vehicles”.
On December 20, an attack on a Christmas market in Magdeburg, Germany, left six people dead and 299 injured. On January 1, in New Orleans, in the United States, 14 people were killed and around thirty also injured in a car ramming attack.
