France could move Paris Olympics opening ceremony over security concerns

France is prepared to move the opening ceremony of the 2024 Paris Olympics if needed over security concerns, French President Emmanuel Macron said Wednesday.

The Israel-Hamas war in Gaza and tensions elsewhere in the Middle East have raised concerns about security for the Olympics. The opening ceremony is planned to take place on the River Seine, in the heart of Paris, in late July.

“Given we’re professionals, there obviously is a Plan B, Plan C, et cetera,” Macron told French media Wednesday.

The Olympic committee has already committed to increased security for events around Paris. The French military said it will contribute 15,000 soldiers to the unprecedented security preparations.

Those deployments consist of about 10,000 soldiers in and around Paris and another 5,000 around the rest of the country, with some as far away as the Pacific island of Tahiti, which will host the Olympic surfing event.

Macron insisted that any decision to move the opening ceremony would not be made hastily, adding that a backup plan would only be used if “the level of insecurity requires us to revisit the initial scheme.” 

About 600,000 visitors are expected for the opening ceremony July 26.