The NFL is full steam ahead for its Week 7 clash between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the New Orleans Saints in Paris this Sunday, even as former President Donald Trump warns that “France is really in trouble” amid widespread civil unrest. That game, set for the Stade de France at 9:30 a.m. ET (2:30 p.m. local Paris time), is the first NFL contest ever slated for the French capital, and the league is pushing forward despite clear concerns from all parties involved, including the former President.
The Warnings Are Blaring, But the NFL Isn’t Budging
Just Friday, Trump spoke outside the White House, straight up saying, “It’s looking like tomorrow’s going to be a bad day in France, so you worry about it.” He didn’t mince words, adding, “I would have said the NFL could have probably postponed that match, if you want to know, because France is really in trouble.” That’s a pretty strong statement coming from a former President, and it highlights how serious the situation is on the ground. You have to wonder what the NFL is thinking, scheduling a game in an environment where leaders are publicly urging caution.
Paris Is Burning: A City Under Siege
The unrest Trump mentioned isn’t just some minor squabble. Paris quite literally “burned last weekend,” experiencing the most violent riots the country has seen in decades. This isn’t a new problem either, with protests kicking off in mid-September as high school students started speaking out against the state of education, which then ballooned into demonstrations over the cost of living and rising fuel prices. Last weekend alone, nearly 2,400 people were arrested. Rioters went after government buildings and pillaged an estimated 3,000 businesses across the country, according to the New York Times. And guess what? Protesters are scheduled to gather again this very weekend. This is not just a few angry folks, this is a major societal breakdown happening right as the NFL is trying to put on a show.
Precautionary Measures Are Heavy, But Enough?
French authorities are definitely not messing around. They’ve rolled out some serious precautions, including curfews, bans on gatherings in certain cities, and even shutting down iconic tourist spots like the Louvre. More than 70,000 police officers are going to be deployed around France, the New York Times reports. Even Paris Saint-Germain’s Ligue 1 soccer match against Lyon got pushed back a day. The Steelers themselves had to cancel a fan event at a bar in Bastille, calling it a “precautionary measure.” Their statement read, “Following recent events in the Bastille neighborhood, and after careful consideration, we felt it appropriate not to move forward with the planned Steelers House fan event in Paris.” It’s a smart move to pull the fan event, but you have to ask, if it’s too risky for a fan party, what does that say about a full-blown NFL game with tens of thousands of people? Here’s hoping the protests stay peaceful and this weekend somehow goes off without a hitch.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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