AHEAD OF the highly anticipated summer Olympics, set to be hosted in Paris, France from July 26 to August 11, Laure Beccuau, Paris’s chief prosecutor, is urging caution to the expected 16 million tourists to venture to the country to witness the Games.
Beccuau’s biggest concern was the likelihood of petty crimes, given the volume of visitors expected for the global showpiece.
“We are expecting the arrival of Eastern European and South American gangs that specialise in ripping watches, jewellery and handbags off tourists. In reality, they are the same types of offences that await tourists each summer in Paris, and we are certain that there will be such attacks,” said Beccuau.
However, while urging caution, Christopher Samuda, president of the Jamaica Olympic Association (JOA), suggested that the announcement from Beccuau shouldn’t stop potential travellers from experiencing the Olympics.
“The recent announcement by the Paris prosecutor (Laure Beccuau) that security officials are readying themselves for a spike in crime during the Paris Olympic Games, particularly cybercrimes, pickpocketing, violence and sexual assaults, although concerning, shouldn’t set off alarm bells,” he said.
It was also reported that the French government is set to deploy 35,000 police officers and 18,000 soldiers during the Olympics.
According to Samuda, the potential for heightened levels of crime is part and parcel of every major event that a host territory has to factor in whenever getting ready for a championship of this magnitude.
“It’s part of the games’ territory, which every host city has to contend. Whereas we prefer them not to be incidents, that is the reality, as global citizens will converge in droves on Paris. So, with a significant increase in population, the risk will therefore increase,” he said.