French authorities are preparing for a range of terrorist attacks amid fears that Euro 2016 could be targeted by extremists.
Police and rescue services have been staging a series of exercises to simulate attacks at stadiums and fan zones ahead of the football tournament, which begins in June. These include preparations for a nerve gas attack, as well as a gun attack, suicide bombing and hostage situation.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
"A similar exercise was held last week at Geoffroy-Guichard stadium in St Etienne, where England will play Slovakia in their third match of the group stage," adds the newspaper.
Interior minister Bernard Cazeneuve told AFP the exercises would help "ensure that this great sporting festival takes place in conditions of maximum security".
France remains in a state of emergency after the November terrorist attacks in Paris which killed 130 people. Another 32 people died in the attacks in neighbouring Belgium last month.
They are believed to have been carried out by the same terrorist cell and one of the Brussels attackers arrested last week has told police they had initially planned to strike France.
Mohamed Abrini, who failed to detonate his bomb at the airport, said his terrorist cell had identified the football championships as a prime target, according to French newspaper Liberation.
Despite fears, French authorities have insisted that the tournament will go ahead.
"The strongest answer to terrorists, in addition to the deployment of all intelligence and security measures, is life," said Prime Minister Manuel Valls. "The Euro should be held, and will be held."
-
Political cartoons for November 23Cartoons Sunday’s political cartoons include a Thanksgiving horn of plenty, the naughty list, and more
-
How will climate change affect the UK?The Explainer Met Office projections show the UK getting substantially warmer and wetter – with more extreme weather events
-
Crossword: November 23, 2025The daily crossword from The Week
-
Americans traveling abroad face renewed criticism in the Trump eraThe Explainer Some of Trump’s behavior has Americans being questioned
-
Nigeria confused by Trump invasion threatSpeed Read Trump has claimed the country is persecuting Christians
-
Sanae Takaichi: Japan’s Iron Lady set to be the country’s first woman prime ministerIn the Spotlight Takaichi is a member of Japan’s conservative, nationalist Liberal Democratic Party
-
Russia is ‘helping China’ prepare for an invasion of TaiwanIn the Spotlight Russia is reportedly allowing China access to military training
-
Interpol arrests hundreds in Africa-wide sextortion crackdownIN THE SPOTLIGHT A series of stings disrupts major cybercrime operations as law enforcement estimates millions in losses from schemes designed to prey on lonely users
-
China is silently expanding its influence in American citiesUnder the Radar New York City and San Francisco, among others, have reportedly been targeted
-
How China uses 'dark fleets' to circumvent trade sanctionsThe Explainer The fleets are used to smuggle goods like oil and fish
-
One year after mass protests, why are Kenyans taking to the streets again?today's big question More than 60 protesters died during demonstrations in 2024
