4,000 police officers safeguard scoreless France-Israel soccer match in Paris amid high tensions

French authorities deployed about 4,000 police officers to secure a soccer game between France and Israel in the Nations League on Thursday in Paris. The game ended with a final score of 0-0.

The heavy security in Paris aimed to prevent a recurrence of last week’s antisemitic violence in Amsterdam, when the Dutch soccer team Ajax competed against Israel's Maccabi Tel Aviv.

While there were minor scuffles and anti-Israel activists booed during the playing of the Israeli national anthem, the event remained largely peaceful. The volume of the loudspeakers was increased to drown out the jeers.

The Paris stadium, with a capacity of 80,000 people, was barely 20% full. Despite security warnings from Israeli authorities, about 100 Israeli soccer fans attended the game. Some fans chanted “Free the Hostages,” referring to the 101 Israeli hostages still being held by Hamas terrorists in the Gaza Strip. Other Israeli fans wore Maccabi Tel Aviv t-shirts with the message, "Ni Oubli Ni Pardon" (Never Forgive Never Forget in French) on the back, a reference to last week’s antisemitic pogrom in Amsterdam.

Footage from the Israeli fans' section revealed apparent clashes between Israelis and anti-Israel activists, involving some punches and running. However, stewards quickly intervened, forming a protective barrier around the Israeli soccer fans and preventing the situation from escalating further. The incident reportedly lasted only a few minutes,

Before the match, hundreds of anti-Israel activists protested the game, waving flags of the Palestinian Authority, Lebanon and Algeria. "We don’t play with genocide," one banner stated, accusing Israel Defense Forces of committing genocide of Palestinians in Gaza during the Iron Swords War.

French President Emmanuel Macron attended the soccer match and vowed that France would never tolerate antisemitism or violence.

"We will not give in to anti-Semitism anywhere, and violence – including in the French Republic – will never prevail, nor will intimidation," Macron stated.

During a phone conversation before the soccer game, Macron had reportedly reassured Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that France would protect the Israeli team and the fans.

An elite French police unit was deployed to protect the Israeli soccer team members during their entire stay in France and the police were also present to protect Jewish soccer fans from France who were in attendance.

Maccabi Tel Aviv soccer coach Ran Ben Simon praised the “extraordinary” French security efforts to protect the Israeli visitors.

"We want to thank the security people for protecting us," Ben Simon said after the game.

Meanwhile, an unnamed member of Macron’s team, reportedly said that the president’s presence was meant to overcome recent "controversies and misunderstandings" between France and Israel concerning the conflicts in the Middle East.

Following the Hamas Oct. 7 massacre of 1,200 Israelis and kidnapping of 251 people from southern Israel, the French leader strongly backed Israel’s right to defend itself.

However, as the war progressed, Macron became increasingly vocal in his opposition to Israel’s military operations against Hamas terrorists in Gaza and Hezbollah terrorists in Lebanon. This shift in France’s position in the Middle East has led to tensions between Macron and Netanyahu.