Guest of TF1’s “8 p.m.” show, the Minister of the Interior, Bruno Retailleau, justified the maintenance of the France-Israel match on Thursday at the Stade de France.
The minister has indicated that he is not aware of “particular threat” concerning France-Israel, even if “zero risk does not exist”. He mentioned “exceptional measures” security before, during and after the match, with checks near the stadium, on public transport, searches and pat-downs, and the mobilization of elite RAID police officers.
“We will exercise particular surveillance over the neighborhoods and places frequented by our compatriots of the Jewish faith,” added Mr. Retailleau. “There is no question of us taking the risk of these dramatic events, of this manhunt that we saw in Amsterdam,” he continued.
He contested any hypothesis of cancellation or relocation of the match: “No question of backing down, of submitting,” he insisted.
Mr. Retailleau also mentioned the “Israel is forever” gala planned for Wednesday in Paris, a gathering marked by the extreme right of which several voices on the left had requested the cancellation. While the Coordination of Appeals for a Just Peace in the Middle East EuroPalestine had petitioned the court for a ban, “justice has ruled and ruled in favor of our police prefect who did not ban this demonstration”, to souligné Bruno Retailleau.
