France in terror ...and lockdown
Tourist sites shut down... U2 cancel gig Security fears over Charles visit to summit Fixtures hit... but England WILL play France
‘We’re not going to let them stop us travelling’ ‘Strong fears over the Euro championships’
DISNEYLAND Paris was closed and high-profile events abandoned yesterday amid security concerns following the terrorist outrage.
On the outskirts of the city, the Disney theme park is Europe’s most popular tourist attraction and normally open 365 days a year.
But yesterday it was closed for the first time since 1992. A spokesman said the decision had been taken ‘in support of our community and the victims of these horrendous attacks’.
The Eiffel Tower – adopted by many on social media as a symbol of peace in the wake of Friday’s attacks – also announced it was closing ‘until further notice’.
Security will be a huge concern when Prince Charles is due to join world leaders at a UN climate change conference in Paris at the end of November – and last night French officials revealed they were worried about security at one of the biggest events in the sporting calendar, next summer’s European football championships.
France is hosting the tournament and the final is scheduled to be played at the Stade de France, which was attacked by suicide bombers during Friday’s carnage.
Rock band U2 called off a concert in Paris last night. In an emotional interview on Irish television, lead singer Bono said the band’s thoughts were with the friends and families of those killed at the Bataclan concert hall.
‘The majority of the victims are music fans,’ he said. ‘This is the first direct hit that we’ve had in this so-called war on terror. These are our people. This is an illness that’s in the world now and we just can’t give in to it.’
All European Champions Cup and Challenge Cup rugby matches in France were postponed and clubs taking part in fixtures in other countries were asked to observe a minute’s silence before kick-off.
Among the cancelled games was Glasgow Warriors against the French side Racing 92 at the Stade Yves-du-Manoir outside Paris. But England’s football friendly against France at Wembley on Tuesday was set to go ahead after talks between the FA and French officials. It will follow three days of national mourning in France for the victims of the atrocity.
Transport links between Britain and France remained open yesterday but some Eurostar trains from St Pancras ran with nearly empty carriages as hundreds of passengers chose to stay at home.
Paris-bound travellers were advised to get to the station an hour before departure, rather than the usual 30 minutes, to allow time for extra security checks.
There was a strong police pres- ence at the London terminal, with dozens of officers patrolling the concourse. Many were armed with machine guns and sniffer dogs were also deployed.
Holidaymakers Bill O’Neill and his son Joe, 28, from Hertfordshire, said they wanted to show solidarity with the French people by refusing to change their plans.
‘It’s very sad what happened but we’re not going to let that stop us going,’ said Mr O’Neill. ‘I very much feel that people should carry on as much as possible.’
His son added: ‘A lot of places will be shut but we will just walk around. It’s still a beautiful city.’
BA and easyJet offered custom- ers flying to Paris this weekend a ticket refund or the chance to rebook for a later date or to another shorthaul destination.
Looking ahead, security concerns are likely to be raised over the UN climate conference in Paris at the end of this month which will be attended by hundreds of world leaders and addressed on its opening day by the Prince of Wales. Charles was invited by President Hollande because of his keen interest in environmental matters.
The summit will run from November 30 until December 11, posing an extended commitment for the French police and military as they struggle to combat the threat from violent Islamic extremism.
Last night, French Football Federation president Noel Le Great admitted he was concerned about safety at next summer’s month-long European Championships, which will take place in ten French cities, including Paris, in June and July.
‘For the Euros, there was already a big worry,’ he said. ‘Today it’s obviously even stronger.’