FRANCE, Paris: A dozen activists held a 'die-in' in front of a Paris 2024 official store on Saturday (Dec 2) in central Paris to denounce what they say are the Games' negative social and environmental impact.
Protesters lay down on the street in sports attire and pretended to be dead, holding signs with slogans critical of the event.
Activists and locals have recently rallied against building a controversial judging tower for the Paris 2024 Olympic surfing competition in Tahiti, which they say would damage coral near the contest site.
The candidacy of the French Alps for the 2030 Winter Games has also sparked a series of protests by environmentalists, for the damage they could cause to ecosystems and their potentially high energy usage.
Security measures linked to the Olympics are also another source of criticism, with opponents denouncing the high numbers of police and soldiers set to be deployed, and warning that surveillance could infringe on humans rights.
Though industry players say the technology will comply with European and French standards, the use of AI-powered video surveillance among others has provoked strong opposition from rights groups.
In March, French lawmakers backed using the technology at the Olympics, despite warnings from Amnesty International and digital rights groups that it poses a threat to civil liberties. — Reuters