2023-10-21 16:51:39
“There’s a little less crowd than usual but other than that, no, really it’s business as usual.” This subscriber seated on the terrace of the 2 stadiums, the bistro nestled just opposite the entrance to the Auteuil stand at the Parc des Princes, sums up the general state of mind well. At around 3 p.m., 3:30 p.m., less than two hours before the PSG-Strasbourg kick-off (9th day of Ligue 1), there was nothing special to report around the Rouge et Bleu enclosure.
However, the particularly tense context currently throughout France, between bomb threats which disrupt the daily life of certain places of culture (Louvre Museum, Palace of Versailles, etc.) and the ever-present risk of a terrorist attack, could suggest an exceptional device. In the end, it turns out to be nothing.
Strasbourg supporters escorted from a toll booth
“A suitable system has been put in place around the Parc des Princes,” a source at the Paris police headquarters explains to Le Parisien, without giving precise figures for the police system. In the immediate vicinity of the stadium, it seemed quite regular for a match of this type, where matches considered high risk or European Cup matches can sometimes give rise to a significantly denser police presence.
The only notable information distilled by the prefecture: “Strasbourg supporters are subject to support from a toll booth”.
“Compared to usual, it’s just a little more substantial,” said a Park security manager stationed upstream of the Auteuil bend, regarding the police reinforcement allocated to this match. Around the stadium, it is also a little harder to access by car. As far as we are concerned, we also have more agents and we are more particular about visual checks, which is within our prerogatives. We have just received instructions to be more vigilant but apart from that, we cannot do anything more than usual. It’s the same inside the stadium, to control dangerous potential. »
The Auteuil bend closed
A reinforcement of security and search agents which also allows, precisely, to streamline the traffic of supporters to compensate for the slightly more thorough searches. An hour before the start of the match, it was in any case fluid and calm.
It should also be noted that this match will be played without a significant number of supporters, since the Auteuil stand is closed following the homophobic chants heard during PSG-OM (last September 24).
A closure which removes a workload from the security personnel on site and also reassures the police headquarters regarding the risk of excesses linked to the situation in Israel and Gaza. Contacted during the week, she already explained to us that she was not particularly worried at this level about the match this Saturday afternoon, and that the absence of the Auteuil turn, some members of which had repeatedly demonstrated their support to Palestine, reassured them in this sense.
#PSGStrasbourg #Park #serene #atmosphere