Olympic organisers draw up plan B for Paris opening ceremony amid terror attack fears

London: Organisers of the Paris Olympics are drawing up secret contingency plans in case they are forced to move the planned open-air opening ceremony along the Seine river to an alternative venue, amid growing fears the event could be the target of a terror attack.

The French government, the City of Paris, and the 2024 organising committee remain determined to stage the July 26 ceremony away from a stadium for the first time in Olympic history, but increased resistance from security agencies and worries about controlling large crowds have forced organisers to dramatically scale back their plans.

An artists’ impression of the Paris 2024 Olympics opening ceremony. Credit: Paris 2024 / Florian Hulleu

Diplomatic sources who have been briefed on alternatives told this masthead that while intelligence services have not identified a specific plot targeting the Olympics, organisers are now planning for scenarios involving several potential threats, including extremist Islamic groups amid tensions in the Middle East, ultra-right groups, violent environmental activists and Russian cyberattacks.

With between 800,000 and 1 million extra people expected in France every day during the Games, officials from several nations are said to have pushed organisers for more details of contingency and security arrangements – including another venue for the opening ceremony, should one be required.

Many details of the ceremony remain under wraps to preserve the “wow factor”, but it is known that athletes will parade through the heart of the city in boats on the Seine. Security – including 30,000 police and soldiers – is forecast to be tight. Of the 180 boats taking part in the ceremony, 94 will carry athletes.

Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin said on Tuesday that only about 300,000 people would now be able to line the riverside – half the number previously planned, and a far cry from the 2 million promised when Paris won the bid.

The original plan was to allow 2 million people to watch the open-air opening ceremony, but security concerns have dramatically reduced that number.Credit: Bloomberg

“To manage crowd movement, we can’t tell everyone to come,” Darmanin said. “For security reasons that everyone understands, notably the terrorist threat of recent weeks, we are obliged to make it free, but contained.

“No country has informed us that they do not want to take part. They have confidence in our organisation.”

France suffered a wave of deadly attacks linked to the so-called Islamic State group in 2015–16, targeting the Bataclan and other public venues, and the country has seen occasional extremist violence in the years since.

President Emmanuel Macron is understood to have demanded the capacity reduction at the urging of his security agencies, having annoyed organisers in December when he said they must consider alternatives. Sources familiar with the planning believe the Stade de France, originally built for the 1998 FIFA World Cup, would likely host the event if there is a forced change.

“You’re 15 days away from the Olympics. There’s a series of terrorist attacks. What do you do? Well, you don’t organise [a ceremony] on the Seine,” Macron said in December. “Of course, being professionals, there are plans B, C and so on. You have to be ready for anything. If there is an increase in international or regional tensions, if there is a series of attacks … this is a plan B.”

An Australian Olympic Committee spokesperson said ensuring a safe and secure environment was always a high priority so that athletes could focus on their preparation and performance.

“The French authorities have developed comprehensive security arrangements, and we have every confidence our hosts will provide a safe and secure environment for our team and Australian supporters,” the spokesperson said. “The French have significant experience hosting major events.”

Tickets to the ceremony have been on sale since November, with some costing thousands of euros. Thousands of free tickets originally intended for the public and tourists will now be allocated via quotas to residents of towns or regions hosting Olympic events, local sports federations, and others chosen by organisers or their partners, according to officials from the Interior Ministry.

Darmanin said that of the 300,000 spectators, 104,000 would be paying ticket-holders with spots along the lower riverbanks, with another 222,000 watching for free from the upper banks.

The ceremony’s security perimeter, which covers a significant part of the centre of Paris, will be closed days ahead of the Games, with access limited to ticket-holders and people living or working in the area, who will have QR codes to enter.

Paris authorities are also debating whether to order an inspection of the balconies and balustrades of thousands of buildings lining the river amid warnings they could collapse under the weight of spectators.

Police announced earlier this week they would test controversial AI-powered cameras at two upcoming Depeche Mode concerts in Paris, ahead of their planned use for security at the Games.

Six cameras in and around the Accor Arena will analyse crowd movements in the months leading up to the Games to identify abnormal or dangerous activity.

– with AP

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