an important security system planned in Marseille for the arrival of the Olympic flame

More than 5,500 law enforcement officers are mobilized while 150,000 people are expected in the Old Port to celebrate the arrival of the Olympic flame.

A major security system is deployed on Wednesday May 8 in Marseille while 150,000 spectators are expected in the Old Port for the arrival of the Olympic flame. In total, 5,483 people are mobilized to secure the event, including 2,400 police officers, according to a police note, consulted by franceinfo.

Thus, systematic filtering of all people who wish to enter a “extended scope” around the Old Port is set up. “The main risk in the area is linked to the gathering of a large group of people in a small space which can generate crowd movements”, explains the note. 11 checkpoints were set up. 900 private security agents, reinforced by Mobile Force Units (UFM), are responsible for carrying out these checks.

In addition, 567 plainclothes police officers patrol the crowds and on the pontoons of the boats. “to prevent any disturbance of public order”. 430 other agents who are in uniform “will guard the barriers between the port and the quay to avoid any jump into the Old Port” and to ensure “a general security and public intelligence mission”. Two mobile police stations with “136 judicial staff” are also deployed.

Some “76 dog teams” were mobilized early Wednesday morning to inspect “3 400 boats of the Old Port”. Moreover, “all inhabitants” who reside within the extended perimeter and who have a view of the Old Port were inspected by territorial intelligence.

Expected protests

“The Olympic torch relay will very likely be conducive to the expression of many discontents and social or societal demands,” recalls the police note. In the case of Marseille, “the Coordination against the Marseille Olympics organized ten meetings, in the presence of Extinction Rébellion, Stop Croisières, the SLT, Steelwatch, Saccage 2024 riposte antifa Marseille, Urgence Palestine and the Technopolice collective”specifies this note.

According to this same source, “There were plans to disrupt the Coca-Cola concert”, scheduled for Wednesday evening in the Old Port, with a risk of power cuts. Other actions are feared: “Deployment of banners, sending bags of red paint on the flame and jets of water on the flame bearers, as well as actions to block streets or civil disobedience.”

According to the police note, “the hypothesis of nautical action from one of the ships which will escort the Belem cannot be excluded”. She notes that calls have been made to “tarnish the image internationally” of the President of the Republic and aimed at “humiliate him”. Emmanuel Macron is expected in Marseille this afternoon and must go to the Old Port around 7 p.m. Finally, “social movements are underway locally (Orange employees, municipal police, garbage collectors)” and can disrupt the event in Marseille. For the first stage of the Olympic flame on Thursday which also takes place in Marseille, 3,464 police officers and gendarmes are mobilized.