PARIS (AP) – Heavy police presence will be in place when France hosts Israel in soccer's Nations League on Thursday, a week after violence erupted in Amsterdam in connection with the visit of an Israeli club team. Despite being deployed, few fans are expected to visit.
French police chief Laurent Nuñez said there would be 4,000 police officers and security guards around the Stade de France, and an additional 1,500 on public transport.
Authorities in Paris are on high alert following violent incidents in Amsterdam before and after the Europa League match between Ajax and Maccabi Tel Aviv. Dutch authorities said fans from both sides were involved in the riot. The assault on Maccabi fans sparked outrage and was widely condemned as anti-Semitic.
“What we learned from Amsterdam is that we need to be in public places and on public transport before and after the match, including far from the stadium,” Nunez told French news broadcaster France Info on Thursday. ” he said.
Three months after the Olympic closing ceremony was held, the atmosphere had turned from festivity to fear, with the National Stadium expected to be three-quarters empty for the games. French President Emmanuel Macron and Interior Minister Bruno Letailraud will also be in attendance. Former presidents Francois Hollande and Nicolas Sarkozy are also scheduled to attend.
Only 20,000 of the 80,000 tickets were sold, and around 150 Israeli supporters reportedly attended, accompanied by police.
“We have tried to prepare for this match as normally as possible, but of course no one in the team would be insensitive to such a serious situation,” France said. Manager Didier Deschamps said on Wednesday. “That will affect the number of supporters who will be in the venue tomorrow and everything that goes with that.”
The away match against Israel (France won 4-1) on October 10th was held in Budapest, Hungary.
“The players are not used to these conditions,” Deschamps said. “But we have to adapt.”
The low number of fans in attendance comes after Israel's National Security Council warned citizens abroad to avoid sporting and cultural events, especially the matches in Paris.
Letailault told French news channel TF1 on Tuesday that while no specific threat had been identified, “there is no zero risk.”
He said exceptional measures were therefore in place “before, during and after the match”.
The French National Police's elite tactical unit, known as RAID, was present at the stadium, with some police officers in civilian clothes mingling with the fans. Strict surveillance will be carried out in Paris, including Jewish places of worship and schools.
“It is out of the question to risk seeing a repeat of the dramatic events we saw in Amsterdam, the investigation,” Letailault said, adding that postponing the match or moving it elsewhere was ruled out.
“France will not give in and the France-Israel match will take place where it should be,” he said.
In Amsterdam, large numbers of Maccabi fans attacked taxis, chanted anti-Arab slogans, and some men carried out “hit-and-run” attacks on people believed to be Jews, Mayor Femke Halsema said. .
A 12-page report on the violence issued by Amsterdam authorities said that after the match, some of the large group of Maccabi supporters armed with sticks ran around “destroying property”.
“Moving in small groups on foot, scooters and cars, the rioters quickly attacked Maccabi fans before disappearing.”
Protests erupted in Paris on Wednesday night over a controversial celebration organized by far-right groups supporting Israel.
The match in Saint-Denis, a suburb north of Paris, is scheduled to kick off at 8:45 p.m. local time (1945 Japan time).
At 6pm local time, a pro-Palestinian demonstration will be organized at Place Saint-Denis to protest the match.
Nine years ago, the Stade de France was one of several locations during the November 13 terrorist attack that killed 130 people. France were playing against Germany that night, and two explosions occurred outside the stadium.
Deschamps, Germany coach Joachim Loew and all the players remained together in the locker room for hours until it was safe to leave.
“This day is sad considering what happened in 2015,” Deschamps said.
