Israeli national anthem sung out loud before Olympic football match against Mali
PARIS — The Israeli national anthem was loudly booed before its soccer team kicked off the match. the Paris Olympic Games against Mali on Wednesday evening.
The match began with a massive security presence outside the stadium amid an increasingly tense international climate that has Security efforts in Paris right in the spotlight.
The Israeli team arrived under heavy police escort, with motorcyclists in the lead and a dozen riot vans in the back. Armed police patrolled the Parc des Princes stadium, one of them carrying a rifle on his shoulder. French Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin and Paris Police Prefect Laurent Nunez arrived at the stadium around 7:30 p.m.
“We owe this security to the whole world,” Mr. Darmanin said. “The threats that weigh on our country are the threats that weigh on the Western world.”
The atmosphere outside the stadium was calm, however, with fans from both countries mingling, waving flags and posing for photos.
Malian fans sang along proudly when their anthem was played first. When Israel’s anthem was played, boos and whistles immediately rang out. The stadium’s loudspeaker system playing the anthems then became noticeably louder, in what appeared to be an effort to drown out the boos.
Once the match began, the Israeli players were booed every time they touched the ball. Security officers intervened in what appeared to be a heated argument between some fans. The disturbance occurred near a woman holding a Palestinian flag. Two other people holding Palestinian flags then stood next to the woman.
France is under pressure to secure the Paris Games, which run from July 26 to August 11. The city has suffered several deadly disasters extremist attacks and tensions are high because of the wars in Ukraine And Gaza.
Security has been stepped up to extreme levels for Friday’s grand opening ceremony on the Seine. Police squadrons are patrolling the streets of Paris, fighter jets and soldiers are on standby, and metal safety barriers were erected on both sides of the river.
Darmanin had previously said that Israeli athletes would be protected around the clock by the elite GIGN police unit, which is responsible for, among other things, combating terrorism and protecting government officials.
“The police forces will not have a vacation this summer in order to guarantee the security of all and in particular of delegations deemed sensitive such as the Israeli delegation for which we have reinforced security thanks to our elite units,” said the spokesperson for the national police, Sonia Fibleuil, earlier on Wednesday. “All matches deemed sensitive will be subject to reinforced security with special forces and elite units but also a broader security system with special means.”
Paris deploys 35,000 police officers every day for the Olympic Games with a peak of 45,000 for the opening ceremony. In addition, 10,000 soldiers are participating in security operations in the Paris region. France too receives help from more than 40 countries that together sent at least 1,900 police reinforcements.
Mali has severed diplomatic relations with Israel and opposes the ongoing Israeli military operation in Gaza. In recent years, Israel has resumed diplomatic relations with several Muslim countries in sub-Saharan Africa, including Mali’s neighbors Guinea, Chad and Sudan.
Other matches involving Israel have led to security concerns.
In May, the start of Scotland’s Women’s European Championship qualifier against Israel in Glasgow was delayed after a protester chained himself to a goal post. without spectators after a decision was made to refund ticket holders following reports of planned disruptions in protest against Israel’s offensive in Gaza.
Last month, the city of Brussels said it will not host a UEFA Nations League match between Belgium and Israel in September because of the “dramatic situation in Gaza” which is creating a security headache for city officials.
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