Around 38,000 Irish fans with tickets are heading to France this summer to support the nation's footballers in their quest for glory at Euro 2016. At least 70,000 fans in total are planning to make the trip. Inevitably, therefore, the 'fan zones'-which Irish fans populated with their typical gregariousness in Poland in 2012 -will take on a greater level of importance to football fans in their attempts to enjoy the Euros 'atmosphere'.
But, the BBC reports today, the much-talked about terrorist threat looming over France, and Paris in particular (in the wake of the November attacks on the city), and the concerns that football fans could represent a 'soft' target for attacks, could result in the closure of the aforementioned zones.
If Michel Cadot, Chief of Police in Paris-gets his way, there will be no fan zone at the Eiffel Tower as had been planned. A representative from the country's national police union admitted that Cadot had expressed "reservations" about the zone's existence "and asked to close the Eiffel Tower fan zone during matches at the Parc des Princes and the Stade de France". This would affect Irish fans for their team's opening game against Sweden on June 13th which takes place at the Stade.
Another of the police union's officials recently described the officers in the city as "out of breath" and acknowledged that the union was "worried" ahead of the thousands of tourists set to descend on the capital.
French Prime Minister Manuel Valls recently reassured the French public that if the authorities "had knowledge of a specific threat, (they) would not hesitate to question the opening of a given area" but declared that fans zones will, unless exceptional circumstances dictate otherwise, be maintained. Valls was bullish when asked about the impact the threats would have on the running of national events:
We will not cancel the Tour de France. We will not cancel the Avignon festival. We need to live, otherwise (we show) fear...and fear is a victory for terrorists.
Nevertheless, with France under a state of emergency for the duration of the tournament, fans should undoubtedly be mindful of possible measures that may yet be put in place by the French authorities in their efforts to minimize the threat to football fans travelling to the country this June and July.
