Tokyo, 28 April, /AJMEDIA/
As the next month, Marseille is set to witness a monumental event as the Olympic torch arrives from Greece, on Friday, Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin announced that approximately 6,000 police officers will be deployed to ensure the utmost security during this historic occasion, according to insidethegames.biz.
The Olympic torch commenced its journey in Athens, on Friday, where it was ceremonially handed over to French organisers. On Saturday, it will board a majestic 19th-century French sailing ship and is due to arrive in Marseille, where in addition to the presence of local firefighters and police, there will be contingent of 6,000 officers mobilised to reinforce security measures.
“We will set up everything required by anti-terrorist laws to monitor and prevent” any incident during the torch relay, Darmanin said.
Departing Greece on Saturday, the three-mast Belem will sail into Marseille’s Old Port on 8 May, expecting a crowd of 150,000 spectators, excited to see the Olympic flame.
Darmanin announced the deployment of specialised units including an elite tactical team, bomb disposal squads, nautical police, and an anti-drone team to ensure security at the Old Port. Additionally, he noted that over 1,000 boats scheduled to accompany the Belem along the coastline before its arrival will undergo thorough inspections and “demining” procedures throughout the day.
