In a high-stakes match over fears of anti-Semitic assaults, there have been no riots within the boring draw between France and Israel

One police officer for each 4 spectators on the Stade de France, President Emmanuel Macron flanks Nicolas Sarkozy and François Hollande side-by-side and as icy as Franco-Israeli relations in a mere Thursday night time match between France and Israel. however magnified with the geopolitical significance produced by the struggle in Gaza. Towards all expectations, calm reigned for essentially the most half.

Some tensions occurred in a stadium with solely 13,000 spectators and for just a few seconds a shout was heard: “Depart the hostages”.

Israeli followers began a brawl within the north stand of the stadium towards pro-Palestinians after chanting “Israel will reside, Israel will win”. The Israelis additionally sang a tune towards Hamas. Earlier, 600 Israeli followers had arrived on the stadium in particular buses and have been protected by the police.

Plainclothes police broke up a confrontation between Israelis and one other group, however the pro-Palestinians confirmed no signal. Palestinian flags have been banned.

Extraordinary safety measures, with four,000 safety forces and elites to keep away from a repeat of a “New Amsterdam” in France and a president decided to make sure that France just isn’t accused of anti-Semitism.

In early November, followers of the soccer membership Maccabi Tel Aviv was attacked on the streets of the Dutch metropolisafter a match towards Ajax. Muslim youths beat them shouting “That is for Gaza”. A indisputable fact that motivated the French authorities to strengthen safety within the surrounding space and on the Stade de France, after Israel accused Europe of anti-Semitism.

“France organizes a sporting, cultural and mental occasionthat intends to arrange and that wishes to arrange by defending artists, sportsmen, intellectuals, permitting everybody to expertise these occasions”, mentioned President Emmanuel Macron earlier than the match.

“We won’t give in to this stench of anti-Semitism that’s blowing around the globe,” Emmanuel Macron lastly assured, earlier than his motorcade entered the stadium.

A karaoke to heat hearts on the Stade de France, which might typically unite 80 thousand spectators. At 19:30, the sound system launches the long-lasting “Emmenez-moi” by Charles Aznavour. The speaker then invited the primary spectators to heat up. No person sang. It appeared like a stadium for the lifeless.

There have been French and Israeli flags within the nearly empty stadium. Many French-Israeli twin nationals, who got here to help Israel in troublesome instances, settled them.

Solely the VIP stand was packed, with the three French presidents, Prime Minister Michel Barnier, former Prime Minister Manuel Valls and aspiring Prime Minister Xavier Bertrand as a logo of reconciliation and solidarity.

In whole, simply over 18,000 individuals got here to fill the stands.. A tragic document for the Saint-Denis stadium, which since its inauguration in 1998, had not seen “worse” than 36,842 individuals (within the Confederations Cup towards New Zealand in 2003).

Timid whistle for Israel's anthem. Returning to the Stade de France after an extended Olympic-related absence, Les Bleus They anticipated a bigger public inflow. However safety points, together with the Palestinian-Israeli battle, stopped most of them.

Which didn’t stop some supporters of Israel from proudly waving the Israeli flag, among the many blue, pink and white. Sufficient to provide life to the unhappy components.

The environment is on the verge of paranoia. a member of bolstered non-public safety entered.

“Nobody could be insensitive to the heavy and heavy context,” mentioned Didier Deschamps, the supervisor of the French group.

A professional-Palestinian demonstration passed off in St Denisin entrance of the Metro, which handed with out incident. They solely requested for “anti-colonialist and anti-Zionist resistance”. There have been no incidents and so they have been dispersed in an orderly trend.

Across the stadium, all of the bars, pizzerias and quick meals locations had closed their doorways. Henry arrived from Lorraine. “It’s unhappy. They checked me 3 times. It looks like we’re going to struggle,” he complained.

When the Israeli gamers entered the sphere to heat up, there have been mild whistles. However no Palestinian flag. Reception brokers have been instructed to stop their entry.

The identical whistles have been repeated in the course of the announcement of the visiting group and the nationwide anthems, with none response. Many politicians went to the Stade de France.

Measurements have been made with nets surrounding the sphere to stop a number of people from occupying the land, a barrier alongside the size and the primary seven rows on the backside. A particular environment, in a frozen November local weather that, in any case, suited the scenario fairly properly.

A sporting occasion with out a lot danger, which ended zero to zerohowever that occurred within the context of the battle within the Center East between the Jewish State and Hamas since October 7, 2023 and after the acts of violence that occurred in Amsterdam not less than the match was not moved to Hungary, as occurred when Israel He needed to play in Belgium, with a big Muslim inhabitants.

Concern was the tip. The Israeli gamers waited till the stadium and its environment emptied earlier than leaving, of their safety bubble, surrounded by armed officers, to return to their residence. The match was very boring, however peace gained.