By Samindra Kunti
April 20 – France has said it will extend its state of emergency for a further two-months to ensure the security of players, fans and media at the EURO 2016 tournament this summer.
“Faced with an event this big … which must take place in conditions of security and which at the same time should be a celebration … we have to ensure security,” said French Prime Minister Manuel Valls.
After the Paris terror attacks in November, France implemented a state of emergency. More than 130 people died in the atrocities near France’s national stadium Stade de France, the Bataclan music venue and at cafes.
The current state of emergency is scheduled to end on May 26. It allows police officials to carry out arrests and searches, while authorities can forbid the movement of people and vehicles at specific times and places, ensuring smoother crowd-control.
In February, the French parliament voted for controversial changes to its constitution to enshrine the controversial powers. Politicians voted by 317 votes to 199 to give a new status to emergency security powers, after previously supporting stripping convicted extremists’ French citizenship by 162 votes to 148 against.
The measures have divided French society and president Francois Hollande’s ruling socialist party. The French parliament will have to vote to extend the state of emergency.
Euro 2016 starts on June 10th and runs for an entire month, culminating with the final at the Stade de France on July 10. The 51 matches have been in high demand and 2.5 million fans are expected to flock to the different venues in the ten host cities.
The host cities have vowed that the fan zones will go ahead, but the increased terror alert across both France and Europe is providing a major headache for local organisers and UEFA.
Security arrangements during EURO 2016 will be stricter than than usual. The Stade de France alone will be watched over by some 1,200 security officials. The average stadium security presence will be 900 strong. In the host cities, CRS riot police and Gendarmerie divisions will also be deployed.
Both UEFA and French organisers have been discussing contingency plans behind closed doors.
It’s the first time that 24 teams will participate in the European Championship. England, Northern Ireland and Wales represent the home nations. Ireland are also going to France.
After EURO 2016, France will host the world’s biggest cycling event the Tour de France.
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