The safety device will be “reinforced” Tuesday in Paris for the Champions League match between Paris Saint-Germain and the Israelis Maccabi Haifa,
announced the Paris police headquarters on Monday. 800 police and gendarmes will be mobilized to manage the high risks of disturbing public order, in a document that franceinfo was able to consult. This high-tension match revives the painful memory of 2006, when a PSG fan was killed by a police officer on the sidelines of a meeting against Hapoel Tel Aviv.
In the document, the authorities mention in particular their fears of clashes between Parisian supporters likely to show their support for the Palestinian cause, elements at risk who may want to attack supporters of Maccabi Haifa and ultra-Zionist militants who may want to protect Israeli supporters.
Reduced visitor parking
In addition to the 800 police and gendarmes, 1,400 stewards will be mobilized, according to information from franceinfo. In particular, they will have to secure the visitor parking lot where 1,650 Israeli supporters are officially expected. A lower gauge than usual, takes over France Bleu Paris.
A possible presence of 5,000 to 8,000 opposing supporters being mentioned around the stadium, PSG lowered this gauge in order to possibly relocate supporters who would be isolated elsewhere in the general public stands in the visitor parking lot.
Israeli and Palestinian flags deprecated
The French authorities also met with the head of security at the Israeli embassy, who must pass on very specific security instructions to supporters coming from Israel. It will be so for them not recommended to display Maccabi Haifa flags or colors on public transport, around the stadium and in the stadium outside the visitors’ stand. In the other stands, Israeli supporters will have to be as discreet as possible by adopting a behavior of strict neutrality.
Parisian supporters will not be able to enter the Parc des Princes with a Palestinian flag. The instruction was passed to the reception staff of the stadium. For several days, PSG has also been increasing exchanges with its ultras. Without speaking officially, some executives of the Collectif Ultras Paris, some of whose members are pro-Palestinian, sent messages to their members asking for irreproachable behavior in this match.
This coming of an Israeli club to the Parc des Princes tenses the authorities since it revives painful memories. On November 23, 2006, on the sidelines of a UEFA Cup match lost to Hapoel Tel-Aviv (2-4), a PSG supporter was killed by a police officer while participating in an assault in gang against supporters of the Israeli club.