An extremely large number - 43,000 police, gendarmes, firefighters and soldiers will be mobilized in France from June 5 to 7 to ensure security for the ceremonies marking the 80th anniversary of the Normandy landings, which are expected to be attended by 25 heads of state and government, Interior Minister Gérald Darmanen said today, as quoted by France press and BTA.
Nearly one million people are expected to attend around thirty ceremonies organized over the three days in Brittany and Normandy (Northwest France), including the largest ceremony to be held on June 6 at Omaha Beach, where they will be deployed 12,000 policemen and gendarmerie, stated Darmanen at a press conference.
A team of 80 sappers, including 16 divers and 50 teams with dogs trained to sniff out explosives, has also been put on standby.
„This is the biggest commemorative event in our history”, summed up Darmanen.
At this stage, the intelligence services have not detected “any particular threat” for these ceremonies, he added.
In addition to US President Joe Biden, who will then extend his stay in Paris, other participants include England's King Charles III and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, but not Russian President Vladimir Putin.