Hosting an event as big as the Olympic Games in a bustling city like Paris is no easy feat. As the city prepares for the start of the Games, the balancing act between the daily life of its residents, the influx of tourists, and the logistics for the event is becoming increasingly apparent. One of the challenges at hand is the Pass Jeux (“Game Pass”), a personal QR code granting access to specific areas of the city restricted during the opening ceremony on Friday.
While the idea seemed promising in theory, the implementation has been riddled with problems, frustrating local residents and hoteliers alike.
"The center of Paris has become Fort Knox!" A Parisian resident made this comparison in an interview with the French newspaper Le Figaro. Though it might seem like an exaggeration to liken Paris to the famous military base in Kentucky, the comparison accurately reflects the stringent security measures being implemented in the French capital. In preparation for the Olympic Games, especially the opening day on Friday along the Seine, authorities have introduced strict control measures.
The security system is straightforward on paper. The French government has established security zones in Paris, each designated with a different color such as blue, red, black, and gray. The “gray perimeter” has caused the most discussion as it covers the area where the ambitious opening ceremony will take place, including streets near the Seine and popular locations like the Tuileries Garden.
Only those with a Pass Jeux will pass. The Olympic Games in Paris are just a few hours away and the city is heavily focused on security. There will be 44,000 barriers, 30,000 police and gendarmes deployed daily, along with 20,000 private security personnel and 10,000 soldiers ready to intervene if necessary under Operation Sentinelle. “A militarization of the city center not experienced since the Second World War,” The Guardian declared.
To maintain security, authorities will be implementing strict measures from July 18 to 26 around the area where the opening parade of the Olympic Games will take place. Access to this specific area can only be granted with a Pass Jeux, which is a personal QR code that you can download to your phone or print out. This pass is essential for entry to certain areas with high activity related to the Games or for accessing specific points within the “red zone” with vehicles, which also requires a permit.
A good on paper… But complicated in practice. Residents, tourists, shopkeepers, and hoteliers have all encountered problems with the Pass Jeux system. The French press has reported incidents of people trying to enter the “secured” area without understanding the necessary procedures, QR code readers being unable to function properly on sunny days, and businesses feeling constrained by the restrictions, which have impacted their operations.
“A police officer never managed to scan my QR code on my phone because of the sun,” a young man who went for a walk around Trocadéro Square, across the Eiffel Tower, recounted to the local newspaper Le Parisien. “After several attempts, she asked me for my ID card to see if it matched my Pass. She finally let me through,” he added.
“I have no idea how I’m going to work.” Le Parisien claims that similar problems have been reported near the Eiffel Tower. “If people have a QR code, but we can’t scan it and they don’t have ID, we can’t let them through,” a police officer told the newspaper, adding, “It’s much more complicated because you lose time.” A delivery man also complained about the difficulties he was encountering in getting around the city on his scooter a few days ago: “Even the GPS is confused, I have no idea how I’m going to work today.”
Affecting business. Despite their apparent privileged position, the security system is also affecting businesses in the area with stricter restrictions. At least this is what the French media, including the BFM Business channel, La Dépêche and Le Figaro, are reporting. They even broke down some figures to help understand the impact.
According to their calculations, the tightening of security regulations in certain districts of the city is scaring off tourists and residents, with some stores and restaurants experiencing a decline in turnover ranging from 30% to 70%. La Dépêche cites the manager of a restaurant on the banks of the Seine, who claims to have suffered a veritable cascade of cancellations: 32 out of 56 seats, which represents 75% of the total.
“I’ve never seen it so calm,” Omar Benabdallah, a 25-year-old waiter, told the BBC. He shared his observations of the area of the city where he works leading up to the opening ceremony of the Games. He described the scene with thousands of metal barriers, closed stations, and access control through zones and QR codes. He expressed his concern, saying, “I’m a little bit worried. I’ve never seen it so calm. Ninety percent of clients have gone.” In any case, authorities insist that the barricades will be removed after Friday’s event.
Others have criticized how the Olympics are impacting the daily lives of Parisians, particularly in terms of access to healthcare centers. BFM Business reported that the security perimeters set up by authorities for Friday’s ceremony “make access to Parisian hospitals difficult” and “considerably extend” ambulance travel times. There are also complaints that the barriers are making it difficult for people in wheelchairs, cyclists, and parents with strollers to get around.
This article was written by Carlos Prego and originally published in Spanish on Xataka.
Image | Conall
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