600 police officers and gendarmes deployed to secure the Paris – Maccabi Tel-Aviv clash in the Euroleague Basketball against a backdrop of high tensions between Israel and Palestine. Authorities on maximum alert in the face of risks…
This evening, the Euroleague basketball match between Paris Basketball and Maccabi Tel-Aviv at the Arena Porte de la Chapelle will take place under very close surveillance. An impressive security system bringing together no less than 600 police officers and gendarmes was deployed by the Paris police headquarters, while the meeting was classified as high risk, level 4 on a scale of 5, by the National Countermeasures Division. hooliganism (DNLH).
High security risks linked to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict
This unprecedented deployment of forces can be explained by the explosive geopolitical context in the Middle East. While a fragile ceasefire has just been announced after violent clashes between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, French authorities fear that this match could be targeted by radical elements. According to a source close to the matter:
In the current context of very high terrorist threat, this type of meeting is considered a potential target with high symbolic value.
The memory of the France-Israel match at the Stade de France
The security services keep in mind the precedent of the France-Israel football match last November at the Stade de France. For this meeting classified as risky, no less than 4,000 police officers and gendarmes were mobilized to patrol the perimeter and search the 70,000 spectators present.
Incidents during a previous match against an Israeli team
More recently, on December 18, a basketball match between Nanterre and the Israeli team Hapoel Holon was briefly interrupted after a spectator burst onto the court brandishing a Palestinian flag, triggering scuffles in the stands. Seven people were arrested on this occasion.
A large contingent of Israeli supporters expected
For this clash at the top of the Euroleague, the premier competition in European basketball, around a thousand seats were reserved for supporters of Maccabi Tel-Aviv, a legendary club that has won six times in the competition. According to the Diaspora Defense Force (DDF) organization, 400 fans will travel from Israel, supervised by law enforcement and the Jewish community protection service.
Despite this tense context, the organizers hope that sport will take precedence this evening and that this summit meeting will send a message of unity and fraternity. But for the 600 police officers and gendarmes mobilized, the instructions are clear: no excess will be tolerated. They will be on alert to ensure the smooth running of the event and the safety of everyone.
More recently, on December 18, a basketball match between Nanterre and the Israeli team Hapoel Holon was briefly interrupted after a spectator burst onto the court brandishing a Palestinian flag, triggering scuffles in the stands. Seven people were arrested on this occasion.
A large contingent of Israeli supporters expected
For this clash at the top of the Euroleague, the premier competition in European basketball, around a thousand seats were reserved for supporters of Maccabi Tel-Aviv, a legendary club that has won six times in the competition. According to the Diaspora Defense Force (DDF) organization, 400 fans will travel from Israel, supervised by law enforcement and the Jewish community protection service.
Despite this tense context, the organizers hope that sport will take precedence this evening and that this summit meeting will send a message of unity and fraternity. But for the 600 police officers and gendarmes mobilized, the instructions are clear: no excess will be tolerated. They will be on alert to ensure the smooth running of the event and the safety of everyone.
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