Paris is holding its breath ahead of Friday's Olympic opening ceremony in Paris, which is a security nightmare.
The entire area around the Seine River is blocked off, while 75,000 police officers and soldiers are ready to prevent terrorist attacks.
This is the most extraordinary thing a country can do, says France's Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin to BFM television.
Paris is still marked by the IS terrorist attacks in 2015 when 130 people were killed and 350 injured. The Stade de France, where the athletics will now take place, was one of the targets of the attacks.
Therefore, there was dismay when the Olympic organizers announced that the opening ceremony would take place on the Seine River to showcase Paris' landmarks. The opposite of the safer and more traditional alternative within an arena.
The French criminologist Alain Bauer has described it as "criminal madness".
The criticism contributed to the number of spectators being reduced from 600,000 to 300,000.
Snipers on the roofs
Nearly a hundred boats will transport the troops six kilometers from Pont d'Austerlitz, via Notre Dame and the Louvre to Pont d'Lena, opposite the Eiffel Tower. There, they will leave the active boats and step onto a large stage. Israel is a nation that can attract great attention here.
On the honorary stand, personalities such as French President Emmanuel Macron and US President's wife Jill Biden are expected to be present.
The entire ceremony is surrounded by a large security arrangement:
+ 45,000 police officers, 10,000 soldiers, 20,000 security guards are on site.
+ Boats with sonar and divers have gone through the bottom of the Seine.
+ A no-fly zone of 150 kilometers around Paris is being set up during the opening ceremony.
+ Several AI-enhanced cameras are monitoring the area.
+ Snipers on the roofs.
This is an enormous challenge, says France's Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin to BFM television.
Frederic Pechenard, former head of the French police, says simultaneously to AFP:
One hundred percent security does not exist.
Paris street life
Street life in Paris is characterized by the heightened security level. The traditional soundscape has been replaced by more police sirens and the hum of helicopters over the city.
The entire area along the Seine is blocked off. Until the opening ceremony, only those with the right accreditation or a QR code have been able to walk along the part of the river affected by the opening ceremony. The 300,000 spectators will then be checked extra carefully.
On Wednesday, the heightened security was noticeable when a large area around the Parc des Princes football stadium was blocked off due to a suspicious bag.
The opening ceremony starts at 19.30.
