This evening, the PSG – FC Barcelona match will take place at the Parc des Princes. A reinforced security system was put in place after messages of terrorist threats to the stadiums hosting the Champions League.
In several messages posted on social networks, the terrorist organization Islamic State made threats of attacks during the various quarter-final matches of the Champions League. In one of the visuals, an ISIS fighter carried an assault rifle with the inscription “Kill Them All”. Another showed a message that referred to the 2015 attacks which took place near the Stade de France. This Wednesday evening at the Parc des Princes the match between PSG and FC Barcelona takes place at 9 p.m.
To guarantee security, a major system is deployed around the stadium. According to a police source at the Parisian, “additional mobile force units will be deployed to supervise the sporting event”. Intervention police officers should also position themselves in the “immediate surroundings of the site”. Patrol drones are also mobilized, as is the Research and Intervention Brigade, according to theAFP. A total of 1000 agents are deployed for the event.
The General Directorate of Internal Security “is particularly hard at work to provide preventive or, if necessary, curative information”, assured Gérald Darmanin. The Minister of the Interior led a meeting on Tuesday evening to organize the entire security system. The pre-match procession was also canceled. Similar measures were taken in neighboring countries, notably in Madrid for the match between Real and Manchester City, as well as in London for Arsenal against Bayern Munich.
Jean-Charles Brisard, president of the Center for the Analysis of Terrorism, interviewed by RMC, invited supporters to go to the stadium and not give in to “terrorist blackmail”. “This is not a direct threat from a terrorist organization. These are calls made by an Islamic State media outlet,” he said. If measures have been taken, he still admits that “zero risk does not exist”.
Prisca Thevenot, government spokesperson, has, according to BFMTV, for his part affirmed that there was “no proven threat” for the PSG-Barça match, specifying that the security system is also “reinforced with regard to the Vigipirate plan which was triggered two days after the terrorist attack which took place in Russia.