Paris Aims for Secure Yet Spectacular 2024 Olympics Opening Ceremony

As Paris gears up for the Summer Olympics, the unique opening ceremony along the river Seine on Friday presents a significant security challenge. Organizers hope this won’t dampen the festive atmosphere.

For the first time, an Olympic opening ceremony will take place outside a stadium. Instead, dozens of boats will carry thousands of athletes and performers on a 6-km (3.7-mile) parade along the Seine, highlighting the beauty and history of Paris.

Over 300,000 spectators are expected to line the riverbanks to watch the event. To ensure safety, 45,000 police officers, including elite counterterrorism units, will be deployed. Additionally, snipers will be positioned on rooftops along the route, and an anti-drone system will be in place.

Tony Estanguet, president of the Paris 2024 organizing committee, emphasized the need for stringent security measures while maintaining a festive atmosphere. “There’s a balance to be found between top security, which is absolutely the priority,” he said at a Sunday press conference. “To guarantee the security and to propose a fantastic celebration of the Games… But to have this kind of unique celebration, you also need to have a very, very strong security plan. And that’s the case.”

Starting at 7:30 p.m. local time (1730 GMT), the ceremony will be a grand showcase celebrating Paris, France, and the Olympic Games. It will feature the traditional athletes’ parade, artistic performances, and ceremonial elements, according to Thomas Jolly, the artistic director of the opening ceremony.

With ongoing conflicts in Gaza and Ukraine and heightened security concerns domestically, France is already at its highest security level. The large crowds anticipated in Paris will starkly contrast with the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, which had empty arenas and were delayed by a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

French officials have indicated no specific terrorist threats for the ceremony. However, contingency plans are in place. If necessary, the ceremony could be restricted to the Trocadero square near the Eiffel Tower or moved to the Stade de France stadium.