Paris authorities have restricted pedestrian traffic in the city center since Thursday ahead of the opening ceremony of the 2024 Olympics, establishing a so-called “security perimeter” with QR code entry that will be in effect from July 18 to 26, radio station France Inter reported on Thursday.
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The opening ceremony of the Olympics will take place on July 26 on the Seine, and therefore the area near the sports facilities was declared a “red zone” and the river embankment a “gray zone” with additional anti-terrorist protection measures. From Thursday, restrictions on entry only into the “gray zone” will be introduced; they will remain in effect until the opening of the games.
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Access will be possible using a special QR code, to receive which you need to register on the platform by entering your personal data. There will also be a search at the entrance to the “zone”.
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“In total, about 800 thousand applications for a QR code were received,” the city’s police prefect Laurent Nunez said.
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According to him, about 300 thousand QR codes have already been issued. In addition to the code, people living and working in these places or those who decide to go to a restaurant or stay in a hotel there must also have a special pass. 230 thousand of these were issued, Nunez said. Such measures are caused by terrorist threats, he explained.
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“Gray” zones are also closed to traffic; only cars with a special pass and emergency services will be able to pass there. For cars in “red” zones, movement is only possible for individuals with permission upon presentation of an identity card. In addition, more than ten metro stations in the city center will be closed starting Thursday, and on the day of the ceremony, all stations near the embankment will not operate.
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The leader of the French Patriots party, Florian Philippot, called the introduction of QR codes a disgrace for the country, expressing dissatisfaction with the restrictions.
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In April, French President Emmanuel Macron did not rule out a terrorist threat on July 26 at the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games, in which case it could be moved from the Seine River to the stadium. He also stated that the authorities are preparing several “backup scenarios” for holding the event against the backdrop of a high risk of a terrorist attack in the country.
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The Summer Olympics will be held in France from July 26 to August 11, 2024.
