Increased Security Measures Ahead of New Year in France; 90,000 Police Officers to be Deployed Nationwide

Céline Berthon, head of France's internal intelligence agency, stated on Friday, December 29, that 90,000 police officers will be deployed in public places across France in anticipation of the New Year celebrations. Of these, 6,000 officers will be stationed in Paris, and Gérald Darmanin, the French Minister of the Interior, announced that over 1.5 million people are expected to gather on the Champs-Élysées. He noted that there is a 'very high terrorist threat,' partly due to the ongoing conflicts between Israel and the Palestinians. The Minister added that for the first time, drones will be used for security purposes, and tens of thousands of firefighters and 5,000 soldiers will also be deployed alongside police officers on the streets. The focus of the New Year celebrations in Paris will be on the 2024 Olympic Games, with fireworks and projections planned on the Arc de Triomphe. One of the deadliest terrorist attacks in recent years in Europe occurred in November 2015 at the Bataclan theater in Paris, where extremists killed 130 people. However, a deadly knife attack on December 2 of this year near the Eiffel Tower has heightened concerns regarding security for the upcoming Olympic Games, which are set to begin on July 27 of the coming summer. French officials have emphasized that the Olympics will be held in complete security. The Minister of the Interior stated that we are constantly exposed to the threat of 'Islamist terrorism,' and that extremists are mainly psychologically unstable. A 'terrorist' attack occurred around the Eiffel Tower, resulting in the death of a German tourist. Macron stated that Europe is witnessing an increase in 'Islamist terrorism.' A Syrian refugee in France attacked a 22-month-old child and several others with a knife.