This time, there is no question of inflation, quite the contrary. This Wednesday, Gérald Darmanin announced a spectator count of “around 300,000” on the banks of the Seine, for the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympic Games, on July 26.
These are figures revised significantly downwards, and even halved, compared to those announced in October 2022 by the Minister of the Interior. In the Senate, the latter spoke of “600,000 spectators”, including 500,000 on the high platforms.
“The idea is that there are 100,000 people on the lower platforms”, with paid tickets, and “more than 220,000 people on the high platforms”, with free tickets, detailed Gérald Darmanin this Wednesday on France 2. “And then there are all those who live and who will be able to rent, have evenings along the Seine,” he added.
A logistical and security headache
The initial figure of 600,000 spectators therefore belongs to ancient history. Re-questioned in May 2023 during the signing of the security protocol on the ceremony, the Minister of the Interior repeated it. “Today, the opening ceremony is as planned,” said Gérald Darmanin on Wednesday morning.
Several sources close to the negotiations recently reported to AFP that the last arbitration was “less than 300,000 spectators” free of charge. Paris police chief Laurent Nuñez mentioned “spring” to confirm these assessments, which are likely to evolve depending on the state of the terrorist threat.
A unique ceremony in history
For the first time in the history of the Olympic Games, the opening ceremony will not take place in a stadium but outside, on the Seine. Along six kilometers of the river, 115 boats will sail, with delegations of athletes, from the Austerlitz bridge to the Jena bridge, in the presence of heads of state and government from around the world.
The Olympics will mobilize an average of 30,000 police officers and gendarmes per day, sometimes peaking at 45,000, particularly for this ceremony.