As thousands of people prepare to celebrate the transition into the new year, Paris police headquarters has announced exceptional security measures for the night of December 31st. Laurent Nuñez, police chief of the capital, detailed this Tuesday morning the main lines of the planned system on the Avenue des Champs-Élysées and throughout the Paris metropolitan area.
To ensure everyone’s safety, no less than 10,000 police officers and gendarmes will be deployed in Paris and the suburbs. This system aims to respond to several major challenges: combating urban violence, preventing damage (dumps and burned vehicles) and protecting against any terrorist attempt. “It is a moment of very constant attention for the police”, specifies Laurent Nuñez, who however emphasizes that it is not “the most stressful moment of the year” given other recent events, such as the organization of the Olympic Games or the reopening of Notre Dame. Dame.
The nerve center of the celebration will once again be the Champs-Élysées Avenue, where the police chief anticipates the arrival of a million revelers who will come to watch the fireworks. A security perimeter will be established to channel flows and facilitate controls. To reinforce this vigilance, certain circulation restrictions around the avenue will be implemented and several RER or metro stations will be temporarily closed.
If the Avenue des Champs-Élysées constitutes the heart of the celebration, the municipalities in the inner suburbs and the entire Paris region are also under close surveillance. Law enforcement authorities will pay particular attention to the risks of excesses or arson, with a clear objective: to intervene quickly to limit violence and prevent material damage.
Laurent Nuñez finally remembers that the terrorist threat remains always present and justifies sustained vigilance. The challenge of this New Year’s Eve is, therefore, to reconcile, in the best possible way, the festive spirit of the night with everyone’s safety.
