A launch with great fanfare.

The Minister of the Interior announced on Tuesday, October 25, that up to 600,000 spectators could attend the opening ceremony of the Paris-2024 Olympic Games, which will take place on the Seine.

The lower quays of the Seine will be accessible to "100,000" paying spectators, the upper quays will be free to "500,000 people", detailed Gérald Darmanin.

He specified that a "compulsory free ticket office" would be put in place to control the number of spectators on the high quays and distribute them along the Seine.

Heard by the Culture and Laws Committees of the Senate, Gérald Darmanin added that the opening ceremony alone would mobilize "35,000" internal security forces on July 26, 2024. The organizer, he continued, "must also guarantee 3,000 private security agents" for the ceremony and the city of Paris has a target of "3,000 recruitments" by 2024.

Overall, for the duration of the Olympic Games, Gérald Darmanin explained that security will be provided by "on average 30,000 police and gendarmes per day".

For Île-de-France alone, between “12,000 to 45,000 internal security forces” will be necessary “depending on the day”, during the duration of the tests from July 26 to August 11.

06:05

2024 Olympics budget © F24

Canceled events

The Minister of the Interior repeated that during this period there would be "no holidays" for the personnel of the Ministry of the Interior.

"It goes all the way," he said.

He warned that cultural and sporting events would be "cancelled or postponed" during the Games, such as the Tour de France or the Lille sale, scheduled during the Paralympic Games period (August 28-September 8).

"We're not going to cancel all the events," he said.

He also warned that there would be "no beach CRS that year".

The Minister of the Interior also announced that the areas of competence between the police and the gendarmerie will be abolished during the Olympics.

Gérald Darmanin reaffirmed that 25,000 private security agents would also be needed to complete the gaming security system.

He mentioned the Rugby World Cup in 2023 which will constitute "a dress rehearsal" for the Olympics, and will require the mobilization of "7,000 police and gendarmes per day".

With AFP

The summary of the

France 24 week invites you to come back to the news that marked the week

I subscribe

Take international news everywhere with you!

Download the France 24 app