From: Alessandro Grandesso (da Parigi)
More than a stadium, a bunker. More than a match, a sort of trench. All of this is also France-Israel, a Nations League football match, but above all a high-risk event, after the events in Amsterdam, with the clashes between local and Israeli hooligans, which degenerated into a Jew hunt on the sidelines of a match of the Europa League between Ajax and Maccabi Tel Aviv. Events which pushed the highest French authorities, present in the stands today (Thursday) evening, to lock down the match and keep it at the Stade de France, in the northern suburbs of Paris, giving a strong signal against anti-Semitism, despite the tensions induced by the conflict in the Middle East.
The plan thus provides for the deployment of 4,000 policemen and gendarmes. Not only in public transport and around the stadium, but also inside, on the sidelines. An unusual choice to reduce risks as much as possible in an 80,000 seat venue, where however less than 20,000 spectators and just under 200 Israelis are expected tonight. A negative record for a France match, conditioned however by the strong climate of hostility that emerged in recent days also with a banner in favor of a free Palestine displayed by Paris Saint Germain fans at the Parc des Princes. Tonight, however, what is worrying is a pro-Palestinian demonstration organized by the radical left in the center of Saint Denis, less than two kilometers from the stadium. In any case, to access the Stade de France it will be necessary to pass a double security perimeter also managed by some of the 2,500 private security agents hired at the expense of the Federation which expects a loss of 3.5 million.
In the official gallery there will be the President of the Republic, Emmanuel Macron, flanked by Prime Minister Michel Barnier and the Israeli ambassador, despite the recent diplomatic tensions between the two countries. In fact, in recent days, during the visit of the French Foreign Minister to Jerusalem, local police arrested two French gendarmes, in charge of the security of a site owned by Paris. Last month, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described the Elysée’s threat to block arms sales to his country as “a shame”.
On the pitch this evening, a draw against Israel with zero points will be enough to advance to the quarter-finals. But this is just a detail.
Swiss
