IRIA News

With the Paris 2024 Olympics just beginning, significant security challenges have emerged, casting a shadow over the celebratory atmosphere.

Despite meticulous planning and extensive security measures, including blocked streets and closed metro stations, recent attacks have highlighted vulnerabilities that authorities are scrambling to address.

Thousands of police, soldiers, and other guards have been deployed to ensure safety, but these efforts have revealed gaps that need urgent attention. The authorities are working tirelessly to address these security concerns and ensure the safety of both participants and spectators.

Attack on railway infrastructure

A coordinated arsonist attack was carried out on the opening day of the Olympic games to saboteurs at five unguarded rail sites outside Paris, aiming to disrupt rail services. France’s state-owned rail company, SNCF, reported vandalism at signal boxes and electricity installations between 01:00 and 05:30.

The attacks, described as a “massive, large-scale attack aimed at paralyzing” services, occurred at locations including Courtalain, east of Le Mans, Pagny-sur-Moselle near Metz, and Croisilles near Arras. Images shared on social media showed burnt-out cables and discarded paving stones, underscoring the severity of the sabotage.

France’s minister of sports and the Olympic and Paralympic Games, Amélie Oudéa-Castera termed the attack on the railway network “a sort of coordinated sabotage.” She said, “We will assess the impacts on travelers, [and] athletes, and ensure the proper transport of all delegations to the competition sites.”

French Prime Minister Gabriel Attal said, “What we know, what we see, is that this operation was prepared, coordinated, that nerve centers were targeted, which shows a certain knowledge of the network to know where to strike.”

Heightened security for Israeli athletes

Due to security concerns, France has assigned elite police officers to safeguard Israeli athletes throughout the Olympics. Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz highlighted potential threats from Iranian terrorist proxies and other groups aiming to target Israeli athletes and tourists.

The increased vigilance follows anti-Israel protests and the circulation of a fake Palestinian threat video, which French authorities suspect was part of a Russian “false flag” operation.

The first competition involving Israeli athletes, a soccer match between Israel and Mali, successfully passed a security test. Nevertheless, European authorities remain on high alert, with approximately 1,000 elite anti-terrorist officers forming a “ring of steel” around the Israeli team.

Police in actions

France has deployed about 45,000 police, 10,000 soldiers, and 2,000 private security agents to provide security during the Olympics ceremony. The French security forces also used drones and deployed snipers on rooftops to secure areas.

Belgian police detained seven individuals suspected of planning a terrorist attack just a day before the Games began. These suspects were believed to be involved in terrorist group activities, including financing, and preparing for an attack.

Although the specific targets were not determined, the timing of the raids raised concerns about possible links to the Olympics. Neither Belgian nor French authorities have commented on any direct connection.

The intense focus on international tensions has also allowed other crimes to occur. French prosecutors are investigating the alleged gang rape of an Australian woman in Paris’s northern Pigalle district. The woman, found in distress, reportedly identified one of her attackers in a kebab shop before he fled. CCTV footage captured the confrontation, but no arrests have been made, and police have not released descriptions of the suspects.

As the Paris 2024 Olympics progress, these incidents underscore the complex security landscape and the challenges authorities face in ensuring the safety of athletes and spectators. Despite extensive preparations, the threat of sabotage, terrorism, and crime remains a significant concern for international events.