Israel warns fans against attending “high-risk match” in Paris

The game has long been considered… „Hochrisiko-Match“: When the French and Israeli football teams face each other this Thursday evening Stade de France in Saint-Denis Paris If encountered, a comprehensive security presence will be deployed. After the brutal attacks on the club’s football fans Maccabi Tel Aviv In Amsterdam last Thursday, there is great concern about renewed riots.

Israel called on its citizens abroad this week to ““To completely avoid sporting or cultural events,” especially the upcoming football match in Paris. The National Security Council in Jerusalem announced that groups that wanted to specifically attack Israelis had been identified in several European cities such as Brussels, Amsterdam, Paris, London and Manchester.

The responsible Paris police prefect, Laurent Nunez, announced a “very high level of security”. In addition to particularly comprehensive personal checks, the presence of officials in the stadium itself, which is actually unusual for a UEFA Nations League game, is planned.

In addition to the 1,600 employees of private security companies in total 4000 police officers and gendarmes deployed; There are also members of the elite unit of the National Police RAID. These precautions “will allow us to be extremely reactive and prevent any form of rioting,” Nunez said.

Forbidden flags

A limit on the number of spectators was not considered, but the French football association FFF is expecting a moderately attended match anyway: around 20,000 tickets had been sold by Sunday, while the largest stadium in France can hold up to 80,000 spectators. “The FFF has assured us that it will forego large sales campaigns,” said Nicolas Shahshahani from the “Stop Genocide” association, which had called for cancellation. Unlike usual, the FFF did not advertise on social networks. Flags other than French and Israeli are prohibited in the stadium because they would be interpreted as a “political message”.

Since the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, the home games of the Nations League of the Israeli national team and a match that Belgium was supposed to have hosted was played on “neutral ground,” so to speak, in Hungary, a close partner of Israel.

Unlike Italy in October, FFF President Philippe Diallo has spoken out against moving the upcoming game to a smaller stadium. He “always supported playing in front of an audience at the Stade de France because it is a football match and should stay that way.” “The secret service has not drawn attention to risks, there are only the threats that exist in every sensitive game,” said the French Interior Ministry. The greater danger is possible clashes between pro-Palestinian demonstrators and the police.

There were no major incidents during the Summer Olympics in Paris this summer, despite strong fears in advance given the competitions in the middle of the city and the opening ceremony on the Seine. There had been extensive arrangements for the Israeli delegation, and their accommodation remained secret.

At the game this Thursday too President Emmanuel Macron be in the audience, as the Élysée Palace confirmed on Sunday. He wants to send “a message of brotherhood and solidarity after the unacceptable anti-Semitic acts after the match in Amsterdam.”