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Preparations for the Olympic Games in Paris: The stands on the Champ-de-Mars are under construction.
Photo: Aurelien Morissard/dpa
France has asked 46 friendly countries to send almost 2,200 police officers to ensure security at the Summer Olympics in Paris. They are intended to reinforce French colleagues "in critical areas, such as dog handlers, where the need is enormous," a representative of the French Ministry of Defense told the AFP news agency.
Up to 45,000 French police and gendarmes are to be deployed daily during the Olympic Games. In addition, according to government figures, 18,000 soldiers are to be mobilized. In addition, 18,000 to 22,000 private security guards will be deployed.
In mid-March, Germany announced security cooperation with France for the European Football Championship in Germany and the Olympic Games in Paris. According to this, French police officers are supposed to support German officials at the games during the European Football Championship, especially in encounters with French participation.
Highest alert level in France
At the Olympic and Paralympic Games, the Federal Police will send officers to protect the German House in the Jean Bouin Stadium in Paris and will probably also support the Gendarmerie.
The thousands of athletes, the huge crowds and the worldwide television audience make the Games a target for terrorists, as in Munich in 1972 and in Atlanta in 1996.
After the attack near Moscow that killed more than 140 people, the terrorist militia Islamic State (IS) has announced renewed global attacks on Jews and Christians. France has declared the highest of three alert levels.
vet/AFP