No incidents were reported around the stadium and within the demonstration pushed back 2km from the sports venue. The prefecture had put in place the resources by mobilizing 4,000 police officers, or one for every 5 spectators.
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Hundreds of people gathered on Thursday in a square in the town of Saint Denis, just two kilometers from the stadium where the controversial football match between France and Israel was taking place.
Many protesters were angry with French President Emmanuel Macron and other high-ranking political figures who were attending the match.
“NWe cry every day. Every evening I walk around listening to Palestinian songs and I cry for all the people who are being killed. And what is our president doing? He comes to support the Israeli team. It’s crazy ” laments Maria, a woman of Lebanese origin.
The rally took place the same day a special UN committee and the NGO Human Rights Watchcompared Israel’s war methods in Gaza to genocide.
“The French government shows it is deliberately complicit in atrocities” says Rita, an activist.
The heavy police presence, including drones and helicopters, prevented any major protests or brawls near the stadium. France did not want to take any risks after the violent clashes which broke out between Israeli supporters and pro-Palestinian supporters in Amsterdam last week.
As for the result of the match itself, the spectacle was never there for the 20,000 spectators (the stadium can accommodate 80,000 people), since the two teams separated with a 0-0.
Morocco
