A week after the anti-Semitic violence in Amsterdam, the police chief is planning a system to secure the Stade de France for the France – Israel match.
It is “a question of principle” for Bruno Retailleau, Minister of the Interior. The meeting between France and Israel in the League of Nations must go well, and take place at the Stade de France. A security system will be put in place on Thursday November 14 for the match, marked by significant geopolitical tensions. In addition to the context of war being waged in the Middle East by Israel, the meeting will take place just one week after the anti-Semitic violence that occurred in Amsterdam. And after a “Free Palestine” tifo was deployed at the Parc des Princes.
A pro-Israeli demonstration is also planned in Paris on Wednesday, the day before the match, by an international Jewish movement. “We are outraged by what happened in Amsterdam and by the reaction of governments,” said the president of the World Betar umbrella organization, Yigal Brand, in a statement. And added: “We are proud Zionists and have no reason to apologize (…) We will gather on Wednesday in Paris and Thursday at the Football match which is also threatened by jihadists.” The far-right Israeli Minister of Finance, Bezalel Smotrich, will participate in the demonstration.
4,000 law enforcement officers mobilized
“We must at all costs avoid having the same scenes at home,” explains a security source to Parisian. “We will be watched all over the world. It’s almost like the Olympics: you can’t miss it.” As a measure to limit gatherings, it has been decided that businesses, including restaurants and bars, which surround the Stadium square will be closed from 3:45 p.m., five hours before the match.
To ensure that everything goes well, the Paris police chief has also decided not to skimp on the mobilization of the police. “There will be double control, a security perimeter around the anti-terrorist stadium. We will have a total of 4,000 people on the device,” he detailed on Sunday on BFMTV. To which are added 1,600 security agents from the FFF (French Football Federation), compared to 1,200 to 1,300 usually. Not enough to convince the Israeli authorities who recommend to their citizens not to go to the France-Israel match, however, reports The Parisian.
Identity check, search and pat-down
An important safety device, for few expected spectators. Only 20,000 people are expected Thursday evening by the FFF, against a theoretical capacity of the Stadium of 80,000. And for those who come, it will be necessary to provide an identity check, a search and a pat-down, indicated Laurent Nunez. Tickets are strictly nominative. Several things were also banned:
- Backpacks.
- Containers with liquid such as bottles, canteens.
- Palestinian flags – only French and Israeli flags are allowed.
President Emmanuel Macron also plans to attend the meeting on Thursday evening. A “gesture of solidarity and fraternity”, according to the entourage of the Head of State Parisianwhich occurs in a tense geopolitical context. And a diplomatic incident that occurred in Israel during the visit of the French Minister of Foreign Affairs, which resulted in the summoning of the ambassador of the Jewish state to France.
