The authorities are preparing for spontaneous gatherings and possible overflows on the Champs-Elysées and major cities, this Wednesday, December 14, after the final whistle of the France – Marco match in the semi-finals of the World Cup.
As the France – Morocco meeting in the semi-finals of the Football World Cup takes place this Wednesday, December 14, 2022, at 8 p.m., the two countries are driven by the desire for victory. It goes without saying that the World Cup match will be particularly followed on television screens this evening, but after the final whistle the party should invite itself and last a good part of the night in the streets. The French supporters or those of the Moroccan team, depending on the result of the match, will express their joy at seeing their team qualify for the final, especially since the stakes are huge for both sides: France is playing a third star and the second in a row while Morocco, the first African country to go so far in the competition, wants to finish its course without fail by winning the trophy.
10,000 police officers mobilized throughout France
With such a cheerful crowd announced in the streets in major French cities, the authorities have taken the necessary measures to avoid overflows as much as possible. 10,000 police and gendarmes are mobilized from the middle of the afternoon this Wednesday, December 14, reaffirmed the Minister of the Interior, Gérald Darmanin, on France 2 this morning. 5,000 members of the police must patrol Ile-de-France, half of them only in Paris, i.e. double the numbers usually mobilized for this type of event. The other 5,000 police officers are divided into regions in major cities which should also witness scenes of jubilation this evening. After the announcement of the reinforcement of the police forces, Gérald Darmanin recalled this Wednesday on the set of the 4 truths that “our Moroccan friends like all French supporters are welcome”. And to add: “Our job is not to prevent them from partying but that they do it in the right security conditions”.
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The Champs-Elysées open to traffic
The Ministry of the Interior is working hard on the strength of the police to supervise the spontaneous demonstrations expected after the France – Morocco match. But he deemed it unnecessary to close certain avenues to traffic, including those of the Champs-Elysées, which are nevertheless regularly invaded by supporters during post-match celebrations. The French and Moroccan supporters were also the first to go there after the respective victories of their teams during the quarter-finals of the World Cup. It was after these demonstrations, during which overflows took place, that the mayor of the 8th arrondissement of Paris, Jeanne d’Hauteserre, asked for the avenue to be closed to traffic to avoid incidents. Following the negative response from the police headquarters, the city councilor reported to TF1 News : “I am told that we want the supporters to be able to come and celebrate if they wish. If everything happened each time in joy and good humor, I would not have asked for that, but here, unfortunately , we are used to breakage and damage”.
If the most beautiful avenue in the world will not be closed, at least in the early evening, the police headquarters plans to reduce access to the capital by closing four gates of the Paris ring road from 6.30 p.m. Similarly, several metro entrances or RER stations will be inaccessible according to the Minister of the Interior, who leaves it to the prefect of police to decide on the details of the security system. Gérald Darmanin, also indicated on France 2 that if search devices cannot be put in place, 500 checkpoints will be set up in the major stations of Paris from 6 p.m.