French authorities have apprehended a suspect with alleged neo-Nazi sympathies for making concerning online remarks and allegedly planning to disrupt the Olympic torch relay, according to Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin, as per the Associated Press (AP).
The individual, a 20-year-old whose name has not been disclosed, was taken into custody at his home in Alsace, eastern France, as reported by the AP. The suspect, identified as an administrator of the “French Aryan division” group on Telegram, went by the username “Panzer” as per reports by the AP and Agence France-Presse (AFP), with Le Parisien identifying him.
Accused of posting hate speech, death threats, and other alarming content online, the suspect was flagged previously by authorities for his far-right and neo-Nazi ideologies, as mentioned by Darmanin to the AP.
Darmanin emphasized that while there were no specific threats to the Paris Olympics, there was an apparent intention to disrupt a stage of the torch relay.
Darmanin praised the arrest on X (formerly Twitter), re-sharing Le Parisien‘s article and affirming his commitment to safeguarding France’s security.
The Olympic torch, en route since late April from Athens, is approaching its finale, with the Opening Ceremony in Paris slated for July 26.
With 10,500 athletes set to arrive via 94 boats on the Seine for the Ceremony, and an expected 11 million attendees, security remains a top priority.
In a separate incident in May, another suspect was detained for suspected plans to target the Olympic Torch relay in Bordeaux, France.
On Wednesday, Darmanin announced on his X account that an anti-terrorism zone for the Olympic Games’ Opening Ceremony would be activated, with thousands of law enforcement officers and security personnel mobilized for safety.
Dès demain, le périmètre antiterroriste de la cérémonie d’ouverture des Jeux olympiques sera activé. Plusieurs dizaines de milliers de policiers, gendarmes et agents de sécurité privée seront mobilisés pour votre sécurité. Merci à eux! pic.com/Z008OJYjht
— Gérald DARMANIN (@GDarmanin) July 17, 2024
During the event, both grey and red zones will control vehicular access, with strict pedestrian regulations in place, including digital pass requirements and screenings in the grey zone near the Seine.