On social media, several videos show a convoy of military vehicles stamped “State of Qatar” circulating in the streets of the capital. Shocking images, according to some political leaders.
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Ten days before the opening of the Paris Olympic Games, the security measures that will be deployed in the capital for the event are at the heart of a controversy on social networks. The cause: the sending of reinforcements by Qatar. Several videos posted on X or TikTok, widely commented on, show a convoy of military vehicles with the inscription “State of Qatar”. With flashing lights and sirens blaring, they are escorted through the streets of Paris by cars of the French national police.
Despite its proximity to the Muslim Brotherhood and the #HamasQatar parading in Paris, supports our police forces for the #JO. Soon China or even Russia? pic.twitter.com/51rfBAU0FZ
— Valerie Boyer (@valerieboyer13) July 12, 2024
Some right-wing politicians shared the images, expressing their disapproval. “What a shame! The police of Qatar who comes to make the law in France for the 2024 Olympics What a humiliation for France!” declares Florian Philippot, the president of the Les Patriotes party, on his X account. “Despite its proximity to the Muslim Brotherhood and the HamasQatar parading in Paris, supports our police forces for the JO. Soon China or even Russia? asks LR senator Valérie Boyer.
Did France really call for police reinforcements from the Emirate?
The Interior Ministry confirms that a force of 43 Qatari police officers arrived in Paris on Thursday, July 11. And that 62 other Qatari officers are expected during the Games. A contingent of 105 police officers composed of a canine team, officers accompanied by sniffer dogs tasked with detecting possible explosives. But also police officers who will patrol Roissy-Charles de Gaulle airport.
Qatar is not the only country solicited by France. Paris has a partnership with 43 nations, including 31 European states, orchestrated by the Directorate for International Security Cooperation (DCIS). The Ministry of the Interior specifies that they were solicited for their expertise and technical competence. For the moment, only Poland has publicly confirmed this collaboration.
In total, 1,800 security agents from abroad will be deployed during the Paris Olympic and Paralympic Games. Experts in the fight against drones, mine clearers and horse riders. Most will be deployed in train stations, airports and around the 39 Olympic and sporting venues. “By helping to secure these busy areas, they will also provide a reassuring presence for their compatriots who have come to watch the competitions,” the Ministry of the Interior told franceinfo.
These foreign police officers will not, however, have the same powers as French agents. Having no judicial prerogatives, they will not be able to carry out identity checks or arrests. They will also systematically patrol in pairs with French security forces.
Security cooperation is very common during major sporting events. In 2022, during the Football World Cup in Qatar, for example, France sent around 200 gendarmes and police officers.