Fortunately, No Life-Threatening Injuries
Perpetrator Dies After Being Shot
A shocking incident occurred near the bustling Champs-?lys?es street in Paris, France, where a police officer was attacked with a bladed weapon.
"Police officer's neck injured by assailant's blade... Perpetrator seriously wounded by police gunfire and died"
On the 18th (local time), G?rald Darmanin, the Minister of the Interior, stated on X (formerly Twitter), "A police officer who responded to a report from a security guard at a store in the 8th arrondissement was attacked with a bladed weapon," adding, "The perpetrator was immediately subdued by the responding officers." According to the police, the man was refused entry to the Louis Vuitton store on Champs-?lys?es. A security guard at the Louis Vuitton store spotted a man who appeared to be carrying a knife and reported it to the police. Upon seeing the responding officers, the man initially fled but suddenly turned back and attacked a pursuing officer with the blade. The officer was injured but fortunately is not in life-threatening condition.
Another officer immediately fired shots to subdue the attacker, who was seriously wounded by the police gunfire and ultimately died. Laurent Nu?ez, the head of the Paris Police Department, revealed that the injured officer sustained wounds to the neck and said, "At this stage, there appears to be no connection to terrorism, and the individual was not under government surveillance." The police fully cordoned off the area near Champs-?lys?es where the incident occurred.
Soldier stabbed with bladed weapon, vehicle rams into restaurant... Ongoing incidents fuel Paris 'unease'
With the 2024 Paris Olympics approaching, incidents and accidents continue to occur throughout the city, raising concerns about public safety. Just three days earlier, on the 15th, a soldier patrolling near Gare de l'Est was stabbed by an assailant with a bladed weapon. On the 17th, a vehicle suddenly rammed into a restaurant terrace in the 20th arrondissement, killing one person and injuring six others. The driver told police during the investigation that he heard auditory hallucinations and was transferred to a psychiatric clinic. Ahead of the opening ceremony, Paris has deployed 45,000 police officers and 10,000 soldiers from the Sentinelle security forces to maintain strict security.
"Don't come to the Olympics. Cancel everything"?Paris residents boycott... 68% of French express safety concerns at tourist sites
In June, Paris residents called for a boycott of the Olympics, claiming that Paris would be dangerous and a "hell on Earth" during the event. Local residents cited the potential for terrorist attacks, various crimes targeting tourists such as scams and pickpocketing, and soaring prices as reasons for the boycott. They posted videos on social media urging, "Don't come. Cancel everything. No one wants the Olympics. This is a complete mess."
A survey published on the 16th by the French daily Le Figaro showed that 68% of French people expressed concerns about safety at tourist sites and on public transportation. Additionally, 65% of respondents worried about visiting fan zones, which are areas expected to gather around 50,000 people. Fan zones are spaces set up for those not attending Olympic venues to watch the games together and enjoy various side events. Furthermore, 58% and 53% of respondents were concerned about safety incidents at venue entrances and inside the venues, respectively.
By type of crime, pickpocketing (92%) and snatching (88%) were identified as the greatest risks. Concerns about luggage theft at hotels and exposure to sexual crimes were also noted by 60% of respondents. Particularly high alert was noted for suicide bombings targeting the public during the Olympic opening ceremony on the Seine River (40%) and military-related disturbances (30%). The French government plans to reduce the expected opening ceremony audience from 600,000 to 320,000 and will deploy 45,000 police officers and gendarmes around the Seine and city center. To prepare for drone attacks, the airspace within a 150 km radius over the city center and Paris airports will be closed from 7 p.m. before the ceremony until the event concludes.
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