THE opening ceremony of the 2024 Paris Olympics on Saturday (27/7) was tightly guarded by 77 thousand security officers, including 45,000 police and paramilitary officers, 10,000 soldiers, and 22,000 private security officers.
This step was taken to ensure the safety of the participants and spectators in the event held on the Seine River.
The security operation involved police snipers stationed at high points along the river, and a security perimeter set up along both banks of the Seine.
Extra security was put in place after a series of attacks that crippled France’s high-speed rail network on Friday morning, blamed on left-wing anarchists.
In addition to terror threats, French security forces are also on alert for acts of sabotage from foreign sources. French President Emmanuel Macron has previously suggested that Russia may be planning an attack on the Olympics.
However, French officials declined to comment on the identity of the rail saboteur who appeared to have a sophisticated understanding of the network.
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The opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics featured an unprecedented spectacle with up to 7,000 athletes parading down the River Seine, past historic monuments in the French capital.
It was the first time in Olympic history that the opening ceremony was held outside the main stadium, with around 300,000 people watching live from specially built stands on the riverbank, and another 200,000 from balconies and apartments overlooking the river.
Despite forecasts of heavy rain, organizers are confident they can pull off the daring ceremony. Olympic chief organizer Tony Estanguet said before the show that there would be some modifications if the weather was wet, but he insisted the weather would not dampen spirits.
“It’s going to be a beautiful moment, it’s going to be a big party,” he added.
Basketball star LeBron James, who served as one of Team USA’s flag bearers along with tennis star Coco Gauff, was seen wearing a clear plastic poncho to protect him from the rain before the team boarded the boat.
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