France Mobilizes 10,000 Police for World Cup Semi-Final Security

Questioned in parliament on the measures taken to avoid post-match disturbances, the minister said that ten thousand police officers will be mobilized, including 5,000 in the Paris region, in order to manage the crowd that should pour into the streets after the match. "My role as Minister of the Interior is to allow supporters to celebrate the victory of their national team," he said.

Referring to the few disturbances that took place on the Champs-Élysées last Saturday, the Minister of the Interior recalled the balance sheet of the evening. "The reality of the figures is 1,200 police officers mobilized in Paris, three windows that suffered glass breakage and three scooters that suffered damage," he stressed. In total, 107 arrests were made, he added, specifying that "three-quarters of them are French citizens."

Moreover, the minister criticized the attitude of the opposition, which seems to stigmatize Moroccan supporters in France. Darmanin asked the group of deputies to rejoice in the journey of the Atlas Lions and the Blues and to congratulate them. "Bravo to Morocco, bravo to France, bravo to the police. Be happy, stop being grumpy," he said.