The Minister of the Interior notably announced that the airspace would be closed within a radius of 150 km around Paris from 7 p.m.
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Hearing in the Senate on Tuesday March 5, the Minister of the Interior, Gérald Darmanin, gave details of the security arrangements planned for the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympic Games on July 26. He then spoke on the set of France 2’s “8 p.m.” show. Number of spectators along the Seine, airspace closing times, number of boats for the parade… Franceinfo takes stock of what we know about the device.
Closed airspace within a 150 km radius around Paris
Airspace will be closed within a radius of 150 km around the capital. “It is quite historic that we completely shut down airports”added Gérald Darmanin. “In addition, helicopters will fly over the ceremony, with drones, to be able to hover snipers to follow” possible teams “complicated” Or “places” about which security teams have doubts, continued the minister.
This stop is planned from 7 p.m. to the end of the opening ceremony, at midnight, specified the minister, which means that all airports in Ile-de-France and neighboring regions (Roissy, Orly , Le Bourget or even Beauvais) will be closed. “The heads of state will have to reach beyond this zone”declared the minister, citing Lille airport, or “upstream”.
A gauge set at 326,000 spectators
The number of spectators who will be able to attend the river parade of the opening ceremony has been set at 326,000 people, including 222,000 with free tickets, announced Gérald Darmanin.
Before the Senate Law Committee, the Minister of the Interior specified that 104,000 paying spectators would be accommodated on the low platforms and on certain bridges, 222,000 on the high platforms and estimated at approximately “200,000” people who will follow the ceremony from buildings overlooking the Seine.
Concerning the people who will receive one of these free invitations, “it is the City of Saint-Denis, the City of Saint-Ouen, the departmental council of Seine-Saint-Denis, the town hall of Paris… which will allow children in schools, people in municipal centers social action, etc. to come to this ceremony”said Gérald Darmanin on the France 2 set.
A fleet of 180 boats for the parade on the Seine
A total of 180 boats, of which 94 will transport the athletes, will be mobilized, detailed the prefect of the Ile-de-France region. Marc Guillaume, who spoke alongside Gérald Darmanin in the Senate, specified that 86 boats would be allocated to security, technical teams and the troubleshooting of vessels experiencing difficulties.
Gérald Darmanin insisted on the fact that “all the delegations had agreed to parade on the Seine” for this unique opening ceremony format, organized outside a sports venue.