France’s military is planning to contribute 15,000 soldiers to the massive security operation for next year’s Paris Olympics, an army general involved in the preparations said Thursday.
Quick Read
- France is mobilizing 15,000 soldiers for security at the 2024 Paris Olympics, according to Gen. Christophe Abad.
- Nearly 10,000 troops will be stationed in the Paris area, where most Olympic events are scheduled.
- Military presence will extend to Tahiti, nearly 10,000 miles away, to secure the Olympic surfing venue.
- A temporary military camp for 5,000 troops will be established in a park in southeast Paris.
- The security operation includes tens of thousands of police officers and private security staff, along with new legislation allowing AI-enhanced cameras for security monitoring.
- French military plans include deploying Reaper drones, AWACS planes, fighter jets, refueling planes, and helicopters equipped for various security tasks.
- The 15,000-strong force will integrate 7,000 troops already on anti-terrorism patrols.
- The military may provide additional support if there is a shortfall in private security staff recruitment for the Games.
- Military preparations involve training exercises simulating various crises, including terrorist threats, plane crashes, drone attacks, heat waves, and chemical spills.
The Associated Press has the story:
Paris Olympics: French military to contribute 15K soldiers to security operation
Newslooks- PARIS (AP)
France’s military is planning to contribute 15,000 soldiers to the massive security operation for next year’s Paris Olympics, an army general involved in the preparations said Thursday.
The bulk of the military force — nearly 10,000 troops — will be deployed in the Paris region, where most Olympic events will be concentrated, said Gen. Christophe Abad, the military governor of Paris who serves as military adviser to the French capital’s police chief.
Military forces will also be employed for the games as far as 15,000 kilometers (nearly 10,000 miles) away in Tahiti, where navy vessels will safeguard the venue there for Olympic surfing.
In Paris, a temporary military camp for 5,000 troops will be set up in a park in the southeast of the capital, putting the force close to the city’s Olympic sites, Abad said.
The security operation for the July 26 to Aug. 11 Olympics, and Paralympic Games that follow, is unprecedented in scale for France. Tens of thousands of police officers and private security staff are also being deployed. New legislation has also allowed the temporary use next year of cameras combined with artificial intelligence software to scan for security problems. Critics fear the Olympic security will erode privacy and civil liberties permanently.
In the skies, the French military is also planning to deploy Reaper surveillance drones and AWACS airspace-monitoring planes, fighter jets, airborne refueling planes and helicopters that can carry sharpshooters and equipment to disable drones.
The military force of 15,000 nationwide will incorporate 7,000 troops already deployed on anti-terrorism patrols at transport hubs and other busy or sensitive sites, including places of worship, Abad said. The military could also be called upon to contribute additional troops if Paris Games organizers fall short in their efforts to recruit more private security staff.
The military’s Olympic preparations include training exercises to hone its readiness for potential crises during the games. Abad said that during war games this month, he and other officials tested their capabilities for dealing with a terrorist threat, a plane crash, an attack using drones, a severe heat wave and a chemical spill.
