Paris Olympics 2024: Residents fume as city closes down for athletes

As the Paris Olympics 2024 come closer to its kickoff date on July 26, the French government has closed off parts of the capital city as athletes touched down at the Olympic Village. The increased security measures, and the accompanying disruptions to daily lives, have led to vocal criticisms from large sections of residents in the French capital.

As the first batch of Olympic participants arrived on Thursday at the newly built Olympic Village at the Saint-Ouen-sur-Seine commune in the northern suburbs of Paris, thousands of French security forces cordoned off a six-kilometre stretch of large parts of central Paris.

The places inside the highest-security ‘grey zone’ included both the banks of the river Seine, where Paris Olympics 2024 athletes will sail down on Friday, July 26 for the opening ceremony. The French police have presently closed the central water-side residential area off for most incoming vehicles from 5:00 am local time. Residents and people with hotel reservations in the area must show a security QR pass to the guards for entry.

The opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics 2024 in the Seine has also led to the closure of many central Metro stations from Thursday to Saturday.

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"Real Pain" - Parisians complain of problems ahead of Paris Olympics 2024

The heavy security deployments and QR code requirements have understandably irked many of the city’s residents, who have seen themselves stopped at checkpoints while trying to cross the Seine.

Many residents, such as Parisian cyclist Frank Groner, 52, have been unable to even access department stores.

“It's a real pain,” Groner told the news agency AFP. “I read everything online and thought I'd understood. You can't cross anywhere!”

Several tourists, who were unaware of the QR security pass requirements, have expressed their disappointment at being denied the chance to visit iconic tourist sights such as the Eiffel Tower.

“We had no idea we needed a QR code,” said 55-year-old Japanese tourist Takao Sakamoto, who was denied entry to the Eiffel Tower along with his wife.

French authorities have installed thousands of metal barricades along the route of the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics 2024, which will be the first in summer Olympic history to happen outside the main athletics stadium. The barricades, along with the establishment of Olympic VIP lanes, have infuriated local residents and businessmen alike.

“It's a bit like being in Planet of the Apes,” central Paris resident Aissa Yago told AFP.

“All they need to do is throw us some peanuts,” he added

“The Olympics have brought us nothing but misery,” 53-year-old taxi driver Rabah Ouanes said, complaining about the traffic jams.

The increased traffic jams have led to reduced footfalls in local businesses, as many residents have opted to go on vacations to avoid disruptions. Renaud, a senior waiter at the Le Deux Magots cafe, said that the restaurant’s clients are down by half.

“Normally we have people queuing out the door,” he added