Laurent Nuñez unveiled the security system planned for the reopening of Notre-Dame de Paris cathedral. A concert is planned with many pop and classical artists but also the arrival of Emmanuel Macron and other heads of state, the list of which has not been revealed.
Five years after the fire, Notre-Dame de Paris Cathedral is preparing to reopen its doors to the public. A reopening planned for December 7 where a major concert is planned. Among the guests, Pharell Williams, Clara Luciani, Vianney but also big names in classical music such as the Chinese pianist Lang Lang or the Venezuelan maestro Gustavo Dudamel.
And to ensure the security of events for this weekend of festivities, Laurent Nuñez, Paris police prefect, detailed an “exceptional” system during an interview with Parisian.
Around fifty heads of state expected
The Paris police chief explains that a “very high level of security will be applied” during this weekend around the cathedral, especially since around fifty heads of state are expected, thus drawing inspiration “of what we achieved during the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games”.
The ceremonies are planned to take place on the cathedral square, which will be an extremely restricted space. “Only guests, obviously not very numerous because the capacity of the cathedral is 3,000 people, will access the site”. As for the public, screens will be installed on the Île de la Cité, but without a specific invitation from the organizer, they will not be able to access the square.
A “major event” decree
The police chief also explains that all people who are not spectators (service providers, speakers) will be screened, thanks to a decree “big event” which will be taken by the Ministry of the Interior. This decree will oblige the organizer to communicate information on all these people who are not spectators. Around a hundred people who will be screened by the National Service for Administrative Security Investigations (Sneas) which will issue an opinion to the police prefect who can make the decision not to grant accreditation.
Laurent Nuñez also announces a large SILT (Internal Security and Counter-Terrorism) security perimeter from December 4 where motorized traffic will be completely cut off. Only local residents will be able to travel with proof of their address. The shops on the Île de la Cité will be completely closed while those on the left bank quays will remain open until 3 p.m., terraces prohibited. The second-hand booksellers will be cleared and then closed from December 4.
Several thousand agents mobilized
“We will have several thousand civil servants, mobile forces, gendarmes and police, territorial reinforcements as well as a commitment by soldiers from the Sentinel system”announces Laurent Nuñez with also the BRI in reserve for intervention and private security mobilized by the diocese.
As during the Olympics, “we remain at a very high level of terrorist threat” specifies the police chief. He explains that the Islamist threat “mobilizes our attention the most” although he acknowledges that there was no “definite threat to the event”.
