A Russian national has been detained in Paris, France and is under preliminary investigation amid concerns he was plotting to disrupt the Olympic Games.
The local prosecutor’s office confirmed to CNN on Tuesday.
French authorities conducted a search of the man’s home under an administrative order, uncovering evidence suggesting he was preparing for, “events likely to lead to destabilization during the Olympic Games,” according to the prosecutor’s office.
The individual is being investigated and held on suspicion of, “intelligence with a foreign power with a view to provoking hostilities in France,” the prosecutor’s office stated.
If found guilty, the crime could result in a maximum sentence of 30 years imprisonment.
No further details were released about what the man was allegedly planning.
The Olympic Games are set to begin this week, with the official opening ceremony scheduled to take place in central Paris on Friday evening.
Last week, French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin announced that around 4,000 people had been barred from attending Olympic events, with a special focus on Russian and Belarusian citizens.
This development comes amidst reports that the opening ceremony may be jeopardized by potential strike action from over 200 dancers who are supposed to perform.
“Negotiations are underway,” Lucie Sorin, a representative for the dancers’ FSA-CGT union, told CNN on Tuesday. However, a strike notice is still in effect for Friday, she added.
On Monday, approximately 220 dancers halted a rehearsal along the banks of Paris’ River Seine—where the opening ceremony is planned—to protest disparities in pay and housing conditions among the performers.
“The ceremony is in danger in a sense, yes. But it will depend on solidarity because the strike is an individual decision,” Sorin explained.
She mentioned that the dancers are negotiating with Paris 2024 and their employers for higher salaries and financial assistance for the “most precarious” performers.
