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Thousands of police are being deployed in Paris to ensure security at Thursday\u2019s France-Israel football international, a week after violence in Amsterdam in which Maccabi Tel Aviv fans came under attack.<\/p>\n
Paris police chief Laurent Nu\u00f1ez said that 4,000 officers would be on patrol, 2,500 at the Stade de France in the northern Paris suburbs and the rest on public transport and inside the capital.<\/p>\n
In addition around 1,600 private security guards will be on duty at the stadium, and an elite anti-terrorist police unit will protect the visiting Israeli squad.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is a high-risk match [because of] an extremely tense geopolitical context,\u201d Mr Nu\u00f1ez said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe will not allow any attempt to disturb public order.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Uefa Nations League match is under intense scrutiny following the violence after last Thursday\u2019s match between Ajax and Maccabi Tel Aviv in the Netherlands.<\/p>\n
The stadium, which can hold 80,000, will be only a quarter full. Following advice by the Israeli government, no more than 100 or so Israeli fans are expected to travel to Paris, though other Israel supporters may go to the game.<\/p>\n
Politicians across Europe decried a \u201creturn of antisemitism\u201d after Israeli fans were chased through the streets of Amsterdam.<\/p>\n
Maccabi fans were themselves involved in vandalism, tearing down a Palestinian flag, attacking a taxi and chanting anti-Arab slogans, according to city authorities. They were then targeted by \u201csmall groups of rioters\u2026 on foot, by scooter or car\u201d, the city said in a 12-page report.<\/p>\n
Violence between Israel and its neighbours in the Middle East has the potential to spread to Europe.<\/p>\n
France, Belgium and the Netherlands all have large Muslim populations of North African origin and they live beside far smaller Jewish populations, who in the main identify strongly with Israel.<\/p>\n
To express solidarity with European Jews after Amsterdam, President Emmanuel Macron has said he will attend Thursday\u2019s match, which begins at 20:45 (19:45 GMT).<\/p>\n
He will be joined by Prime Minister Michel Barnier as well as previous presidents Fran\u00e7ois Hollande and Nicolas Sarkozy.<\/p>\n