Paris was to deploy some 500 police along the River Seine on Thursday, at the start of a controversial beach attraction
dedicated to Tel Aviv, AFP reports.
The city authorities' decision to devote one of its hugely popular "Paris plages" (Paris beaches) days to celebrate Tel Aviv has sparked uproar among some left-wing politicians and pro-Palestinian groups. Protesters have vowed to celebrate a "Gaza beach" nearby and police are bracing for potentially violent clashes.