- Title: Soldiers patrol Paris with security ramped up for New Year celebrations
- Date: 31st December 2016
- Summary: PARIS, FRANCE (DECEMBER 31, 2016) (REUTERS) SOLDIERS PATROLLING ALONG PARIS' GRANDS BOULEVARDS SOLDIERS PATROLLING AMONG PASSERS-BY SOLDIERS AND PEDESTRIANS CROSSING STREET SOLDIER WALKING ALONG STREET VARIOUS OF SOLDIERS PATROLLING PARIS, FRANCE (DECEMBER 30, 2016) (REUTERS) CARS DRIVING ALONG PARIS' CHAMPS-ELYSEES AVENUE IN FRONT OF ARC DE TRIOMPHE MONUMENT VARIOUS OF PEOPLE WALKING IN CHRISTMAS MARKET PEDESTRIANS WAITING TO CROSS STREET VARIOUS OF FERRIS WHEEL ON PLACE DE LA CONCORDE
- Embargoed: 15th January 2017 15:25
- Keywords: security soldiers Paris New Year Grands Boulevards France
- Location: PARIS, FRANCE
- City: PARIS, FRANCE
- Country: France
- Topics: Conflicts/War/Peace,International/National Security
- Reuters ID: LVA0015F7REBR
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Soldiers patrolled the streets of Paris on Saturday (December 31) ahead of New Year celebrations in the city after authorities on Friday (December 30) warned the terrorist threat remained acute following a holiday season overshadowed by an attack on a Christmas Market in Berlin.
Almost 100,000 soldiers and policemen will be deployed across France to secure New Year festivities, and in Paris itself some 10,300 policemen, soldiers, and firemen, along with other officials, will be involved in the operation.
Some 600,000 people are expected to descend on the Champs Elysees to welcome in 2017 with the annual light display on Saturday, amid a heavy police and military presence to protect visitors.
On Wednesday (December 28), police in southwest France arrested a man suspected of planning an attack on New Year's Eve.
Two other people, one of whom was suspected of having planned an attack on police, were arrested in a separate raid, also in southwest France near Toulouse, police sources told Reuters.
Islamic State gunmen killed 130 people in the French capital last November, leading to sombre New Year festivities with the light show curtailed.
Elsewhere in Europe security has been ramped up to prevent possible attacks. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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