Numerous videos demonstrate the sparse stands, confirming the impact of the call for boycott launched by several organizations. The latter denounce the holding of this sporting meeting, described as a “French genocide match”, due to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Before kick-off, a social media campaign urged players and fans to boycott the event in protest against Israeli policies towards the Palestinians. Messages of support for Palestine accompanied by hashtags flooded the web, relaying calls for a boycott.
Read: Laila Rouass: “There is a problem when we defend Palestine”
Faced with the scale of the movement and the potential disturbances to public order, the French Football Federation expressed its concerns to UEFA and the authorities. The Paris police chief, Laurent Nuñez, himself described the match as “high risk”.
A major security system has been put in place in the capital and around the stadium. No less than 4,000 police officers were mobilized, including 2,500 specially dedicated to the security of the Stade de France. In addition, there are 1,600 private security agents and a special forces unit responsible for protecting the Israeli delegation.
Belgium
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