The director of the Paris Olympics has boldly declared that the French capital will be “the safest place in the world” when the Games open. Tony Estanguet’s optimistic predictions, made a year ago, are looking less far-fetched as Friday’s opening ceremony approaches. Police squadrons are patrolling the streets of Paris, and fighter jets and soldiers are on standby. A massive chain-link security cordon has been erected like an iron curtain on both sides of the Seine, which will be the star of the opening spectacle. France’s vast police and military operation is largely due to the fact that the July 26-August 11 Games face unprecedented challenges. The city has repeatedly suffered bloody extremist attacks, and international tensions are high because of the wars in Ukraine and Gaza.
