Thousands of police officers are being deployed in Paris ahead of France’s Nations League clash with Israel.
Authorities in Paris announced that more than 4,000 police officers and 1,600 stadium staff will be deployed for the game on Thursday evening to ensure security in and around the stadium and on public transport.
The fixture has been overshadowed by tensions around the wars in the Middle East, with protests breaking out in the French capital on the eve of the high-stakes match.
The game comes days after violence broke out in Amsterdam targeting fans of an Israeli football club.
Police in the Dutch capital launched a large-scale investigation on Friday after gangs of youths conducted what Amsterdam’s mayor called “hit and run” attacks on Maccabi Tel Aviv fans that were apparently inspired by calls on social media to target Jewish people.
Protests erupted in Paris on Wednesday against a controversial gala organised by far-right figures in support of Israel.
The event, intended to raise funds for the Israeli military, included Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich among its invited guests.
Smotrich, a vocal advocate of Israeli settlements, had been expected to attend Wednesday's gala, dubbed "Israel is Forever," which was planned by an association of the same name. The group's stated goal is to "mobilise French-speaking Zionist forces."
After days of growing criticism of the event, Smotrich's office confirmed on Wednesday that the minister would not travel to Paris to participate.
Smotrich’s invitation drew sharp criticism from local associations, unions and left-wing political parties, prompting two protests in the French capital.
Critics also pointed at Nili Kupfer-Naouri, president of the "Israel is Forever" association, who sparked outrage in 2023, after the Israel-Hamas war started when she tweeted that "no civilian in Gaza was innocent."
On Wednesday night, several hundred protesters marched through central Paris, denouncing the event as a "gala of hatred and shame."
"Imagine if an association were hosting a gala for Hezbollah or Hamas — there's no way the police would allow that," said Melkir Saib, a 30-year-old protester. "The situation is just unfair."
The march was largely peaceful, but some demonstrators broke windows at a McDonald's along the route.
A separate group, including Jewish left-wing organisations opposed to racism and antisemitism, gathered near the Arc de Triomphe chanting slogans against the gala and Smotrich.
French authorities defended the event, with Paris police chief Laurent Nunez stating that the gala posed "no major threat to public order."
