Celine Dion kicks off Paris Olympics in rain-drenched opening ceremony after France rocked by rail arson attacks
26 July 2024, 23:44
Celine Dion kicked of the Olympic games in front thousands of soaking-wet Parisians yesterday - just hours after France's railways were attacked by arsonists.
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There was no sign of the rain letting up all evening as scores of athletes waved their country's flags during a spectacular boat procession along the Seine.
It was one of the most unique opening ceremonies - the 33rd in history - and apart from the rain, it largely went off without a hitch.
But the day threatened to be overshadowed by a coordinated attack on the country’s high-speed rail network.
Signalling cables were cut and set on fire, putting both police and the public on high alert before the highly-anticipated opening ceremony.
French officials are worried the Olympic Games could be hit by further chaos in the coming weeks. There is suspicion that the attacks were carried out by Russian-backed left-wing agitators.
Patrice Vergriete, the French transport minister, said authorities were preparing for more attacks in the coming weeks.
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“Today we are on alert, so obviously we have mobilised all security forces, as well as drones, so today we have greatly increased out vigilance,” Mr Vergriete said.
Meanwhile, Gerald Darmanin, France’s interior minister, said four more attacks had been foiled in recent weeks and that the threat of terrorism remains “high”.
There was no sign of unease among the many celebrities that appeared during the opening ceremony, however, including French football legend Zinedine Zidane and pop icon Celine Dion.
Zidane appeared at a several points throughout the ceremony, while Dion performed for the first time since announcing her health diagnosis.
Dion recently revealed she had Stiff Person Syndrome (SPS), a rare autoimmune disorder.
Of course, senior politicians from across the world attended the opening ceremony, including the Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer, who was one of the only people in the crowd not to wear an emergency rain poncho.
