Paris police cordon off Seine ahead of Olympic Games opening ceremony | YourCentralValley.com | KSEE24 and CBS47 KSEE24

JOHN LEICESTER and TOM NOUVIAN, Associated Press

19 mins ago

Police officers check people at the security area in front of Notre Dame Cathedral, Thursday, July 18, 2024 in Paris. From Thursday, parts of the French capital will only be accessible to people who have registered for a QR code. This is part of the massive security measures in the run-up to the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. (AP Photo/David Goldman)

PARIS (AP) — On Thursday, an Iron Curtain of a special kind fell over downtown Paris: With the opening of an Olympic anti-terror cordon along the Seine, a mile-long area was closed to Parisians and tourists who had not applied for a pass in advance.

On everyone’s lips was the word “QR code,” the pass that allowed access behind the winding metal barriers that marked the security zone set up to protect the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games on July 26.

“I didn’t know it was starting today,” said Emmanuelle Witt, a 35-year-old freelance communications professional who was stopped by police near the Alma Bridge while cycling through the city. She was desperately trying to fill out the online form on her phone to get her QR code, not knowing that the verification process could take several days.

Those who had the valuable code – either on their phone or printed on a piece of paper – easily passed through police checkpoints at gaps in the barriers that were higher than most people.

Those without identification papers were mostly turned away – and no amount of grumbling or persuasion could persuade the officials to take action.

“It’s too much, it’s excessive, the whole thing is torture,” grumbled Nassim Bennamou, a delivery man who was denied access to the road to Notre Dame Cathedral on his scooter.

“Even the GPS is confused, I have no idea how to get to work today,” he added.

Although authorities announced the code system last year and have been meeting with residents for months to explain the restrictions, not everyone was aware of it. Many visitors were rerouted to reach Paris’ most famous monuments.

“We had no idea we needed a QR code,” said Takao Sakamoto, 55, who was denied access to the Eiffel Tower near Bir Hakeim metro station. Visiting from Japan with his wife, he took a photo of the Eiffel Tower from a distance, behind the fences and police cars. “That’s enough,” Sakamoto noted despairingly.

On the other hand, the lucky visitors who entered the restricted areas were rewarded with the rare sight of an almost empty Paris city center on a bright summer day.

“It’s surreal, it really feels like we’re the only ones here,” said Sarah Bartnicka from Canada. The 29-year-old was enjoying a morning run with a friend and took a selfie with a police officer on the deserted Iéna Bridge to capture the moment.

“I understand why they are doing this,” said Carla Money, a 64-year-old American woman who managed to get through the gates with her family and went on a sightseeing tour near the Saint-Michel fountain. “I am from

The closure came into force early Thursday morning and will remain in place throughout the ceremony. Exceptionally, Paris has decided to hold the opening ceremony on the river rather than in a stadium, as has been the case with previous host venues. Most security measures on the river will be lifted after the ceremony.

Officers were instructed to be polite and accommodating as employees were on their way to work and others were encountering the site for the first time.

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