Violence against Israeli football fans in Amsterdam on Thursday has put the spotlight on the national team match in Paris this week. The match will now have "extended" security checks, says Paris police chief Laurent Nuñez.
We will have anti-terror protection around the entire stadium where security checks will be reinforced, he says to BFMTV.
Macron is coming
Despite this, Israel's security council urged Israelis to avoid all other sports and cultural events, "and especially the upcoming match with the Israeli national team in Paris".
The Stade de France arena will be guarded by 2,500 police officers and 1,600 of the arena's staff, he says. The police will also increase their presence in all of Paris with an additional 1,500 police officers.
There is a context, tensions that make it a high-risk event for us, says Nuñez.
In addition, President Emmanuel Macron announced on Sunday that he will attend the match, which further increases the security measures.
The Élysée Palace states that Macron's presence is intended as "a message of brotherhood and solidarity after the unimaginable anti-Semitic acts after the match in Amsterdam", writes AFP.
Demonstration in Paris
France's Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau said already on Friday that the violence after the Europa League match between Ajax and Maccabi Tel Aviv, with several injured Israelis, would not affect the Nations League match.
"Some demand that the match between France and Israel be moved. I do not accept this", he wrote on X and continued:
"France does not back down because it would mean giving in to threats of violence and anti-Semitism".
The Jewish movement Betar announces that they will demonstrate against anti-Semitism in Paris on Thursday.
