FLASH
Shkruar nga Pamfleti
More than 50 drones have been seized by French law enforcement agencies and more than 40 environmental activists have been arrested by police since the start of the Paris 2024 Olympics.
France mobilized police and military forces from across the country and even called in hundreds of officers from abroad to help secure the city and its scattered facilities. The biggest security deployment was for the opening ceremony on July 26, when 45,000 local and national police, supported by 18,000 military personnel, converged on Paris and the surrounding region.
The 53 drones caught near the Olympic venues were not all flying with malicious intent, Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin emphasized in an interview with Ouest France newspaper.
Many were simply people breaking regulations on where or how high drones could fly in rough weather, putting people below at risk.
Some were just hoping to get a better view, including during the opening ceremony. Drones can only be flown over Paris with a permit, and amateur fliers were told there would be no permits for anyone other than those attending the games, law enforcement agencies or accredited media.
The French military held exercises earlier this year to ensure that personnel stationed at Olympic venues were familiar with its anti-drone arsenal. The military said it would be ready to shoot down drones designed to jam radars, jam radio frequencies, spy on sensitive locations or simply trying to watch an event.
The arsenal includes 15 heavy anti-drone units, which can neutralize a drone from several miles away. Each contains a radar, camera and jamming antenna. French officers also have anti-drone rifles, designed to intercept a suspected drone's radio signals or shoot it down with lasers if it is deemed a threat.
On Saturday, the day after the opening ceremony, police arrested 44 people in central Paris on suspicion of planning acts of sabotage. Darmanin said they were all members of Extinction Rebellion, an environmental group known for radical, often large-scale protests, including the occupation of contested or sensitive sites.
He said they were identified thanks to police intelligence work which suggested they were planning disruptive actions along with 150 other individuals. According to local media reports, the suspects had a truck loaded with hay bales and other materials to build a makeshift camp and buckets of water when they were stopped.
Around 5,000 people were denied access to the opening ceremony after security checks raised red flags ranging from previous convictions for delinquency to suspected religious radicalisation. Of those denied access, 1,000 people were detained on suspicion of planning cyber attacks or some level of espionage for foreign countries.
In addition to the high number of French law enforcement agents on the streets of Paris and other cities hosting Olympic events, almost 1,800 police officers from 44 foreign countries were brought in as backup.
Some were invited because of their specialized skills, including a K-9 team from the NYPD. Others were invited to provide protection for foreign nationals, or simply to provide the possibility of a uniform or a familiar language for any fans who might need help.
Lini një Përgjigje