The vaulting ambition of the Paris Olympics made them risky and hard to police properly. And yet French security forces kept thousands of athletes and millions of fans safe — a "gold medal" performance according to Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin.
The two-week sporting extravaganza which finished on Sunday led to a security operation like no other in recent French history, with the mobilization of around 75,000 police, soldiers and private security guards on the opening night July 26.
There were incidents over the last fortnight — an attack on the French railways, a pitch invader at the 100m men's final — but nothing that would mar the overall event, to the widespread relief of organizers.
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