The images had taken aback many French people. Two weeks before the official opening of the Olympic Games, light armored vehicles in gray camouflage were seen in Paris, flashing lights on. These were vehicles from the Qatari police, called in as reinforcements for this global event requiring reinforced security. Since then, it is not uncommon to come across Spanish, Brazilian, German or even American police officers in the streets of the capital. In total, around 1,800 international reinforcements from around forty countries, including 31 European states, will lend a hand to the 45,000 French law enforcement officers mobilized.
This international solidarity “is something classic during an event of this size” , underlines Éric Henry, national delegate of Alliance Police nationale. In fact, France has already benefited from this type of reinforcement for other events, such as the 2016 Euro football tournament, with 180 police officers from 23 countries, or during the 2023 Rugby World Cup, with 160 police officers and gendarmes. Europeans. France itself sent 220 gendarmes and police officers to Qatar for the 2022 Football World Cup. The legal framework of their missions and prerogatives is very regulated.
No PV or placement in police custody Some foreign police officers were called for very specific missions. Thus, dog teams specializing in research, experts in the fight against drones, border guards, spotters (police officers in plain clothes, Editor's note), mine clearance specialists, horse riders and even motorcyclists will support their counterparts in their specialty.
The others are required to patrol train stations, airports and around the 39 Olympic sites or sporting events. The police officers' countries of origin were identified by the internal security services network of the Directorate of International Security Cooperation, which implements France's foreign policy on internal security.
Foreign reinforcements, however, do not have any judicial prerogative, which is why they are systematically paired with French internal security forces, recalls the Ministry of the Interior. They can thus make an arrest, in the same way as any civilian person observing a flagrant offense or crime, as indicated in article 73 of the code of criminal procedure. On the other hand, they cannot draw up a report or order placement in police custody.
Use of the weapon respectful of French law Police officers from different countries are also authorized to wear their respective uniforms, it is emphasized at Place Beauvau. Under article R315-6 of the internal security code, they can also carry a weapon. But the decision to hold, wear or transport one is subject to authorization from the Minister of the Interior. Not all countries request it. The use of these weapons “is subject to the law of the host State” and the latter “can only be used in the case of self-defense of oneself or others ,” specifies the ministry. Thus, American police officers present in Paris, for example, will not be able to use their weapons as freely as in the United States.
On Tuesday, French police arrested a young Russian man on charges of planning “destabilizing” actions during the Olympic Games, which begin in Paris on July 26. A source in the Public Prosecution said that the man was arrested and placed in pre-trial detention on suspicion of “organizing events likely to lead to destabilization during the Olympic Games.” He added that a judicial investigation was opened on Tuesday on charges of "communicating with a foreign power with the aim of provoking hostilities in France, a crime punishable by up to 30 years in prison."
The Public Prosecution stated that the investigations began after a home visit “conducted at the request of the Ministry of Interior to a man born in May 1984 in Russia.” She added, "The elements that were discovered during this raised concerns about his intention to organize potentially destabilizing events during the Olympic Games, and led to the initiation of criminal proceedings."
For its part, Reuters quoted French anti-terrorism police as having arrested an 18-year-old young man in the Gironde region in southwestern France. She added that the young man was planning to carry out an attack or attacks on people. It did not indicate that the possible attack was linked to the Olympics.
Within the framework of the Olympic Games, more than one million administrative investigations were carried out and 4,360 people who were likely to pose a threat to the event were excluded, Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin said Tuesday in the magazine “Paris Match”. Sources close to the Minister of Interior reported that 880 people were excluded from attending the events on suspicion of involvement in foreign interference.
