The tense diplomatic relations between France And Israel converted the party League of Nations between two countries in conflict. Paris had been armored for the occasion, but a fuse of altercations was lit in the stands.
To the political conflict, that the President of the Republic, Emmanuel Macronintends to reduce by going to the stadium, in addition to the violent incidents that occurred a week ago in Amsterdam between supporters of Ajax and Maccabi, immediately qualified in Tel Aviv as anti-Semitic attacks and which left more than 60 people arrested.
France feared a similar situation, which is why it requested deployment of more than 4,000 police officers in a Stade de France which has barely filled half of its stands. Although it was the match with the fewest supporters in the history of the France team, altercations were present in Saint-Denis.
As the match was being played, a group of French fans and other Israelis broke out in the first fights in the seats. THE boos, insults, whistles and throwing objects They accompanied the race between the seats of supporters fleeing the conflict.
A rally called by the French left party Rebel France (LFI) denounced this Thursday the maintenance of the France-Israel football match which will be played this evening and the presence of Emmanuel Macron and other former presidents.
The local deputy Éric Coquerel, president of the Finance Commission of the National Assembly, denounced in front of the thousand people present the “genocide» that the Palestinians suffer from the Israeli armed forces. He also regretted that French President Emmanuel Macron, as well as several members of the government and former presidents François Hollande and Nicolas Sarkozy were also present, according to them to denounce anti-Semitism.
For Coquerel, this “shameful” official presence represents support for the Israeli government of Benjamin Netanyahu. Coquerel wondered if they would go to the stadium if the visiting team was Russia, and considers this a double standard, because according to him, what is happening in Gaza, Lebanon and Ukraine “are, in both cases, totally intolerable situations for international law.” .
“Spectators and supporters of the France team have already boycotted this match,” added Coquerel, recalling that there will be fewer than 20,000 spectators in a stadium with a capacity of 80,000 people. The concentration took place in a square in Saint Denis just two kilometers from the Stade de France, where the duel will take place.
The meeting will be held within the framework of “exceptional” security measures, as defined by the Minister of the Interior, Bruno Détaileau. The security deployment includes 4,000 police and gendarmes in Paris and neighboring Saint-Denis. Shops around the stadium closed by administrative decision at 3:45 p.m. local time (2:45 p.m. GMT), five hours before the start of the match.
Security forces have also installed a double security ring around the stadium, which will require identification twice for those wishing to access the area. During the match, only the flags of France and Israel will be able to fly and they have banned those of Palestine.
A special fence was also installed to prevent spectators from jumping onto the field. In addition, in addition to a large number of uniformed officers, plainclothes police officers will be present to ensure that no hateful cries or slogans are uttered. Finally, security will continue after the matchwith officers patrolling the area and also on board subways and commuter trains that leave from around the stadium
