With just four days until the Paris Olympics, French police enhance security as anticipation builds for the first-ever outdoor opening ceremony on the Seine River.
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With just four days until the Paris Olympics, preparations are in full swing for the first-ever outdoor opening ceremony on the Seine River and enhanced security measures are in place along the route. The opening ceremony will kick off the Olympics on Friday with a six-kilometer river parade along the Seine. Around 7,000 athletes are expected to participate aboard nearly 100 boats, and an estimated 300,000 spectators are anticipated to line the riverbanks, testing the capabilities of French law enforcement.
In addition to strict security checks along the river, police forces from the U.K., Qatar, and other countries are providing support. To ensure the opening ceremony remains a surprise for viewers, the Olympic organizing committee has kept the details tightly under wraps, with even the International Olympic Committee Spokesperson Mark Adams saying he has not seen the full program.
This unprecedented event is the first Olympic opening ceremony to be held outside a stadium. Ticket sales for the various Olympic events have already surpassed 8.8 million, breaking the record set by the 1996 Atlanta Olympics.