
France: Arena briefly closed off ahead of Paris-Maccabi Tel Aviv game
Police in French capital temporarily closes off Adidas Arena ahead of basketball game between Paris and Maccabi Tel Aviv due to suspicious package.

Police in the French capital temporarily closed off the Adidas Arena ahead of a Euroleague basketball game between Paris and Israeli team Maccabi Tel Aviv on Thursday, due to a suspicious package found outside the stadium, Reuters reported.
A police officer told the news agency that access to the area was restricted while a police dog inspected a food delivery package left on a bike. The package was destroyed on-site, and entry to the arena resumed after a half-hour delay.
“There was nothing in there,” the officer told Reuters. “It was a preventive measure.”
The match itself was classified as "high-risk," leading to the deployment of hundreds of Paris police officers, according to AFP.
Approximately 5,000 spectators attended the game, including 1,000 supporters of the visiting team. Around 600 police officers were stationed at the venue to prevent potential protests.
The game proceeded without incident.
The increased precautions came two months after 40 arrests were made during a tense Nations League soccer match between France and Israel at the Stade de France.
Security for that event had been heightened after fans of Maccabi Tel Aviv's soccer team were violently attacked in Amsterdam the week before.