The day after France-Israel, Laurent Nunezprefect of the Paris police, assessed very positively the impressive security system designed for a match classified as “very high risk”: “The match went very well from a security point of view”, he told France 2. “ There was no accident, the device worked.”
In reality there was a small problem: in the 10th minute a fight broke out in a sector occupied by some “unofficial supporters” of the visiting team, far from the section reserved for the ultras. “There was only one accident,” Nunez admitted. “A fight broke out but was immediately quelled by French Football Federation stewards. They did their job and even the police – exceptionally present at the stadium – made two arrests, one immediately and one after the match, when we were able to analyze what had happened thanks to the videos. Two people are in police custody for this incident.” A further 29 people were subsequently arrested: most for theft and possession of weapons and drugs, five for “acts of incitement to hatred or violence”.
More than 4,000 security officers had been deployed on transport, around the Stade de France and also inside, to avoid risks. At the Stade de France the negative attendance record was recorded, with only 16,611 spectators. Several political personalities were present, including the President of the Republic Emmanuel Macron and his two predecessors, Nicolas Sarkozy and François Hollande.
🇫🇷🇮🇱 Our journalists present at the Stade de France signaled a foul movement in the tribune located behind the butt of Maignan. Des stadiumrs ont pris possession du lieuhttps://t.co/Mf1r4olvVu pic.twitter.com/0cHXE7Kiof
— RMC Sport (@RMCsport) November 14, 2024