France deploys 90,000 police force ahead of EURO 2016

Barley a day to the UEFA Euro 2016 championship, France, the host nation of the tournament, has continued to tighten security across the country to check terror attacks. 

An investigation carried out on Thursday by the Europe Correspondent of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) revealed that authorities have beefed up security with policemen and bomb detectors, among others, at the venues of the 51 matches throughout the tournament. 

Sources at UEFA said that at least 90,000 police have been deployed to ensure safety at the venues of the matches. According to the source, this includes 77,000 police, gendarmes and riot control officers alongside 13,000 private security agents and 1,000 volunteers.

In the same vein, 10,000 soldiers had already been stationed across cities as part of anti-terrorism measures. The soldiers will also be handed more responsibility to protect sites during Euro 2016. 

The security measures were also extended to ”Fan Zones” where crowds would be watching the games on large TV screens in major cities. According to French authorities, about 2.5 million spectators are expected for the 51 soccer matches involving 24 teams in games to be played at 10 stadiums across the country. 

Recent terrorist attacks in France had put the nation on spotlight after hundreds were killed in 2015 in the Stade de France attack and Charlie Hebdo shooting among others. 

The UEFA Euro 2016 championship holds from June 10 to July 10. Host nation France would play Romania in the opening match.