France to Deploy 10,000 Police Officers to Ensure Order During World Cup Semifinal - Gov't

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Some 10,000 police officers will be on duty in France on Wednesday after the Morocco-France World Cup semifinal match, including 5,000 in the Paris region, French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin said on Tuesday.

The Morocco national football team has become the first African team in history to reach the semi-finals of the World Cup. On Wednesday, they will play against France in the next stage of the tournament.

"10,000 police officers and gendarmes will be mobilized this Wednesday. 5,000 in the Paris region, especially around the Champs-Elysees, and 5,000 outside the Paris region. That's twice as many police officers and gendarmes [as normal] to watch over the post-match celebrations," Darmanin said at a meeting of the French National Assembly.

The measure is designed to counter possible terror threats and ensure public order, the minister said, adding that traffic on the Champs-Elysees will not be blocked, but many stations of the Paris metro will be closed.

On Saturday, France became the last team to move to the semi-finals of the 2022 World Cup, having beaten England in the quarterfinal match.

On Saturday evening, on the Champs-Elysees, a traditional gathering place for sports fans in Paris, the police began to disperse Moroccan fans, celebrating the national team's victory in the match against Portugal in the quarterfinal of the FIFA World Cup. The police reportedly used tear gas and stun grenades against them. The media reported that there were about 20,000 people in the streets in total. About 42 people were detained.