Paris on High Alert with Arrival of Israeli National Football Team: 'Hide Jewish Symbols'

paris - Israeli authorities advised supporters not to attend the match in Paris and warned Israelis abroad not to wear identifiable Israeli or Jewish symbols.

Israeli authorities have advised supporters not to attend the match in Paris. They warn Israelis abroad not to wear identifiable Israeli or Jewish symbols, as the advice also came after a night of violence in Amsterdam last weekend. Paris has one of the largest Jewish communities in Europe.

The Parisian police have deployed four thousand officers to ensure the day goes smoothly. Around 2500 of them are active at the Stade de France, where the match will be played, and the rest in public transport and other parts of the French capital. The stadium will have 1600 staff members around and during the match. A special unit of the national police is responsible for the safety of the Israeli footballers.

Police chief Laurent Nuñez describes it as a high-risk game. The significant deployment of security personnel for an international football match is 'very unusual,' he told the French channel BFM TV. 'We will not tolerate any form of escalation or disruption of public order.'

Due to the disturbances in the Netherlands, Israel has urged its citizens to temporarily avoid cultural and sports events abroad, with a focus on the match in Paris. French media expect the Stade de France to possibly be only a quarter full, which translates to around 20,000 spectators. There are also football fans boycotting the match in protest against the war in the Gaza Strip.