The NFL still plans to hold a football game in France despite civil unrest.
This upcoming Sunday, the New Orleans Saints and Pittsburgh Steelers are scheduled to play in Paris at the Stade de France, which seats an estimated 80,000. The game will mark the NFL’s first game in France.
“Preparations continue as scheduled for NFL events and the game at Stade de France next Sunday,” the NFL said, according to ESPN reporter Adam Schefter.
“We continue to work closely with local authorities and partners on all operational and security matters. We are also providing the two clubs with regular updates. There’s been no disruption or impact at league sites,” the league added.
After beating the New York Giants 34-27, the New Orleans Saints left for Paris on Sunday night.
Greg Bensel, senior vice president of communications for the Saints, said, “We concur with the NFL’s statement and are planning to play the game. In addition to working closely with the NFL, we have also maintained daily security updates with our security partners in France.”
“Members of our football operations staff and internal security team have been on the ground in France for the past few days and there has been no disruption or impact at any of our team sites,” Bensel said, according to Schefter.
The Steelers are expected to leave for France on Thursday, Penn Live reported.
In France, over 500,000 people have been protesting, including 110,000 in Paris on Saturday, according to Bloomberg. The protests began in September over school conditions but expanded this weekend to include cost-of-living issues.
During these protests, protesters have looted stores, smashed windows, thrown things at law enforcement and set buildings on fire, according to news reports.
Protesters destroyed the Limoges City Hall, a 19th-century municipal building in central France, after it was set on fire.
French authorities have arrested nearly 2,500 people in connection with the protests, according to The Straits Times. The outlet also reported that almost 1,000 French law enforcement agents have been injured in the protests.
On Sunday, French President Emmanuel Macron authorized local authorities to ban public gatherings to try to bring the protests under control. Marseille, France’s second-largest city, banned public gatherings and demonstrations from 12:00 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Monday.
Numerous French cities, including Paris, have imposed curfews after Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu instructed local authorities to do so.
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Zachery Schmidt is the digital editor of The Star News Network. Email tips to Zachery at [email protected].
