With no room for mistakes ahead of next year’s Paris Olympics, French authorities pledged Wednesday to mobilize a record number of police officers to guarantee a smooth Rugby World Cup in the wake of the chaos outside the stadium that marred the 2022 Champions League final.
The tournament starts Friday at the same Stade de France where the security fiasco last year drew worldwide attention to heavy-handed policing, raising questions about how France manages security at big events.
Speaking at a news conference in Paris, French Interior Minister Gerard Darmanin said more than 5,100 police officers will be mobilized every match day during the tournament, and up to 7,500 at peak times, including Friday’s opening match between France and New Zealand and the final on Oct. 28.
“It’s unprecedented for a sporting event,” Darmanin said.
He added the mobile forces deployed Friday will be used at the stadium and to monitor tourist areas and public transport, as well as fan zones.
“On top, obviously, of the 1,210 police deployed in Paris and Se
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