French interior minister Bruno Retailleau has announced heightened security with “exceptional measures” ahead of the Nations League football match between France and Israel.
The match has raised major fears, following the violence against Israeli supporters in Amsterdam on November 7.
According to Retailleau, security checks will be conducted near the Stade de France ground and on Paris public transport for the game on November 14.
“We’ve mobilised a lot of law enforcement officers, mobilised all the resources of our law, which will enable us to carry out checks, searches… and compare the names on tickets with ID cards,” Retailleau said during a November 12 interview on TF1.
He also announced that RAID, France’s elite unit of the national police, would be deployed.
When asked about the security concerns surrounding the upcoming game and whether it might have been better to cancel it, Retailleau responded that doing so would amount to surrendering to hate.
“I’ve been asked to cancel the game or relocate it, but there’s no question of backing down. France doesn’t back down; France and the Republic don’t submit, especially to hate-mongers,” he stated.
He has been pushing for the game to be kept at the Stade de France, situated on Paris outskirts at Saint-Denis.
“At my request, the Prefect of Police of Paris Laurent Nunez is taking the necessary security measures to ensure that this match takes place at the Stade de France, as usual,” he said on November 8.
Reported anti-Semitic violence following a football match in Amsterdam between Dutch team Ajax and Israeli team Maccabi Tel Aviv has caused shock in Israel and across the West. https://t.co/JTZhW3ClQL
— Brussels Signal (@brusselssignal) November 8, 2024
According to Retailleau, the security measures in place are designed to prevent a repeat of the unrest in the Netherlands.
“It is out of the question to take the risk of a repeat of the tragic events in Amsterdam,” he said.
On November 10, Nunez stated that 4,000 police officers and security agents would ensure security during the Paris game.
“There will be dual security checks. A security perimeter will be set up around the stadium, with a protective perimeter of police officers and agents all around. In total, there will be 4,000 people assigned to the operation,” he said.
Nunez also announced that Palestinian flags would be forbidden in the stadium during the game, emphasising that political messages should not be allowed at a football venue.
“There won’t be any Palestinian flags at the Stade de France. There can only be French or Israeli flags and messages of support for the teams,” he said.
Despite these measures, the National Security Council of Israel has cautioned its citizens against attending the game.
“Preparations to harm Israelis have been identified in several European cities, including Brussels, major cities in the UK, Amsterdam and Paris – around the upcoming match of the Israeli team on November 14,” the Security Council claimed in a statement on November 10.
