Athletes show solidarity in Olympics opening
The Paris Olympics opening ceremony may become a platform for pro-Palestinian solidarity. As 90 boats with 10,500 athletes and officials navigate the Seine River, some delegations will likely display Palestinian flags or wear supportive messages.
Pro-Palestine organizers plan a “show of solidarity,” which may include national delegations flying the Palestinian flag or donning supportive messages. Israel’s team has confirmed its participation but has not revealed the number of athletes involved. Stephanie Adam from the Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel urges delegations to support a ceasefire and to address Israel’s actions in Gaza, stating, “We call on participating delegations to join calls for a ceasefire now and to stop Israel’s Gaza genocide.”
Security will be tight for the opening ceremony, with 45,000 police officers and gendarmes, plus an additional 2,000 security guards in place. Bruno Le Ray, the Games’ director of security, reports no major incidents so far, despite some matches like Israel vs. Mali being sensitive. Officials have downplayed a minor disruption during the Argentina-Morocco match, which a pitch invasion caused. Thomas Collomb, the deputy director of security, described the event as a security instance but not a major incident, stating, “The security risk was very low.”
Israel’s foreign minister, Israel Katz, has alerted French officials to an Iranian-backed plot targeting the Israeli delegation. He has thanked French officials for the “unprecedented security measures” that protect Israeli athletes and has commended the French government for rejecting calls to ban Israel from the Olympics. French security services and Shin Bet intelligence agency officials constantly protect the 88 Israeli athletes.
In a separate event, Belgian police have detained seven people suspected of planning a terrorist attack, although investigators have found no connection to the Paris Olympics. A spokesman for the federal prosecutors’ service mentioned, “There are no details at this time as to the locations or targets, but what was found leads us to believe an attack was being prepared.”
The Games now confront the challenge of balancing political expression with athletic competition. As the world watches, the Seine procession will carry not just athletes but potentially messages of global significance. The International Olympic Committee and France strive to minimize dissent, although visible opposition to Israel’s presence persists. Stephanie Adam emphasized, “The dissent will only grow during the Games.”
As the opening ceremony nears, Security chief Le Ray expresses satisfaction with the initial events, noting, “We have had no incident on any site, on any of the football matches, despite the fact that some of the meetings have been deemed to be slightly more sensitive.” The world anticipates how this unique procession will unfold, possibly merging sport and politics in ways never seen before.
Re-reported from the article originally published in The Guardian.
