Paris Olympics Opening Ceremony Scaled Back Over Security Concerns
The 2024 Paris Olympics opening ceremony will see reduced spectator numbers and invite-only access due to heightened security measures.
- The opening ceremony's capacity has been halved to around 300,000 spectators, with access now limited to invite-only attendees.
- French Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin cited terrorist threats and other potential security risks as reasons for the restrictions.
- The ceremony will feature a floating parade on the Seine River, marking the first Summer Olympics to open outside a stadium.
- Security measures include 2,000 private guards and 45,000 security forces, significantly higher than usual for Paris.
- Local booksellers, a traditional presence along the Seine, protested plans to move their stands, leading to a cancellation of those plans.
The Guardian 
