Tipsheet

France Surrounds Largest Stadium with 7-Foot Fence, Crowd Chaos Ensues

In an attempt to prevent further terror attacks like the one in Paris in November, France has built a seven-foot fence around its largest soccer stadium and employed 1,700 security officers to help deter future attacks.  

The new measures were installed at the Stade de France as a trial run for the Euro 2016 soccer tournament, which starts in under three weeks.

However, as thousands of fans became trapped as they passed through pat-downs and multiple ticket checks on Saturday, they became restless and ignited fireworks in the densely-packed crowd. 

Marseille supporters even lit a bonfire inside the stadium after their team lost the match 4-2.

Apparently the security measures failed as the fans were able to bring in explosives and flammable materials.  

Local police chief Philippe Gali told French radio Europe1 on Monday that this "proved the searches did not operate as planned … we're going to have to fix what didn't work." He also cited technical dysfunctions at the gates.

Following the failed test run, French Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve ordered Euro 2016 organizers to meet on Monday.