Paris 2024 Olympic Games: Portuguese Gendarmerie, Spanish and German police reinforcements in Bordeaux

Under their bulletproof vests, they wear the same light blue polo shirt worn by French gendarmes, but on their heads they also wear a green beret emblazoned with the acronym GNR, which stands for “National Republican GuardSergeant Nelson Freitas and Corporal Maria Pereira arrived in Gironde on Tuesday, July 23. These two Portuguese gendarmes volunteered to work in France during the Paris Olympics. They were present on Thursday evening in the forecourt of the Bordeaux stadium (Matmut Atlantique) to take part in the security system surrounding the Olympic championship match between Brazil and Nigeria.

Young Corporal Maria Pereira, who is normally posted to Faro, the capital of the Algarve province in southern Portugal, says she is proud to represent her country in Bordeaux during this Olympic Games.It's a good experience because there is a special need to help tourists who have a language barrier in French or English. If there are Brazilians or Portuguese speakers, we can help them.”

Specifically, a few minutes later, the Franco-Portuguese crew met Raquel, a mother from Lisbon. “When I saw the Republican National Guard, I recognized the Republican National Guard, it's Portuguese.”– The citizen shouts with a smile before starting a conversation with the gendarmes.

Alongside the Portuguese gendarmes that day, Divisional Commissioner Clément Texier, Chief of Staff of the Interdepartmental Directorate of the National Police (DIPN) in Gironde, said:As part of the Paris Olympics, we also have Spanish police and gendarmerie officers and also German police officers coming to support us.“Manpower is good for the image of the Olympic spirit, but not only that,” he added.

“The symbols are important, but they really help us. It means extra patrols, they have good communication with the population. The specialist reinforcements also help us a lot in clearing mines around the stadium. It’s a real win for us.”welcomes the Commissioner of the Department, Clement Texier.

A welcome help does not prevent Bordeaux police officers from stopping their counterparts from Cristiano Ronaldo's country. “There are always little disagreements when it comes to football, but that's okay, we get along very well.”“The Portuguese gendarmes can harass the peacekeepers in return,” said Sergeant Maria Pereira, smiling. The situation in the Girondins de BordeauxTo achieve peace, the locals offer appetizers to their foreign reinforcements.