French journalist Alexander Searle has warned that Paris is becoming “increasingly cautious” in the face of potential terror threats, after authorities cancelled the city’s iconic New Year concert on the Champs-Élysées.
The pre-recorded concert will be broadcast on television, while a firework display at the Arc de Triomphe will go ahead.
The decision came at the request of the Paris police prefecture, which warned that holding a large open-air concert on the capital’s famous avenue, known for luxury shops and restaurants, posed unacceptable safety risks.
In recent years, the New Year celebration has drawn hundreds of thousands of people, sometimes nearing one million, requiring thousands of police officers to manage the crowds.
Reports indicate that the Champs-Élysées has increasingly been linked to incidents of violence, including clashes and looting involving certain groups, prompting heightened concerns for public safety.
Speaking to GB News Mr Searle said: "Authorities have been careful not to point to a specific or imminent terrorist threat.
"However, France remains on a high-security footing, and large symbolic events are always treated as potential targets.
"While terrorism isn’t cited explicitly, it forms part of the background risk assessment alongside public disorder and policing capacity.
"Supporters of the decision argue this is responsible risk management, better to scale back than risk a serious incident."
GB News host Martin Daubney said: "Critics counter that cancelling such a flagship event amounts to a quiet admission that authorities struggle to secure major public gatherings, particularly in iconic locations like the Champs-Élysées, and not only at iconic locations but at significant, symbolic times.
"Christmas, of course, is a sacred time, as is Hanukkah, and these moments are increasingly targeted precisely because of their significance.
"All these places in Paris and elsewhere in the world are global showcases.
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"Cancelling events sends a message, whether intended or not, that the city is becoming more cautious, more controlled, and less willing to host spontaneous events.
"Over recent years, France has increasingly relied on barriers, restricted zones, heavy police presence, and sometimes cancellations to manage public events.
"Life goes on, but the way public space is used, especially during major celebrations, has clearly changed."
City officials said the cancellation applies only to the live concert.
Fireworks at the Arc de Triomphe are still expected at midnight, and a prerecorded concert will be broadcast on national television instead.
Police officials said controlling dense, fluid crowds on the Champs-Élysées is particularly difficult during a night associated with heavy alcohol consumption and spontaneous gatherings.
Mayor Anne Hidalgo accepted the police recommendation, stressing that public safety must come first.
Local officials from the 8th arrondissement, which includes the Champs-Élysées, backed the decision, noting that the avenue was not designed to safely accommodate a large concert crowd.
The New Year’s Eve concert on the Champs-Élysées has been a fixture of Paris’s holiday celebrations in recent years, combining live music with the midnight fireworks.
Officials said details of security arrangements for the fireworks and crowd access would be released closer to December 31.
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French journalist Alexander Searle has warned that Paris is becoming “increasingly cautious” in the face of potential terror threats, after authorities cancelled the city’s iconic New Year concert on the Champs-Élysées.
The pre-recorded concert will be broadcast on television, while a firework display at the Arc de Triomphe will go ahead.
The decision came at the request of the Paris police prefecture, which warned that holding a large open-air concert on the capital’s famous avenue, known for luxury shops and restaurants, posed unacceptable safety risks.
In recent years, the New Year celebration has drawn hundreds of thousands of people, sometimes nearing one million, requiring thousands of police officers to manage the crowds.
Reports indicate that the Champs-Élysées has increasingly been linked to incidents of violence, including clashes and looting involving certain groups, prompting heightened concerns for public safety.
Speaking to GB News Mr Searle said: "Authorities have been careful not to point to a specific or imminent terrorist threat.
"However, France remains on a high-security footing, and large symbolic events are always treated as potential targets.
"While terrorism isn’t cited explicitly, it forms part of the background risk assessment alongside public disorder and policing capacity.
"Supporters of the decision argue this is responsible risk management, better to scale back than risk a serious incident."
GB News host Martin Daubney said: "Critics counter that cancelling such a flagship event amounts to a quiet admission that authorities struggle to secure major public gatherings, particularly in iconic locations like the Champs-Élysées, and not only at iconic locations but at significant, symbolic times.
"Christmas, of course, is a sacred time, as is Hanukkah, and these moments are increasingly targeted precisely because of their significance.
"All these places in Paris and elsewhere in the world are global showcases.
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS
- Christmas market descends into chaos as violent brawl breaks out in front of stunned shoppers
- Christmas crisp shortage fears as Hula Hoops and McCoy’s workers go on strike
- Criminals flood UK phones with ‘spray and pay’ as festive fraud surges
"Cancelling events sends a message, whether intended or not, that the city is becoming more cautious, more controlled, and less willing to host spontaneous events.
"Over recent years, France has increasingly relied on barriers, restricted zones, heavy police presence, and sometimes cancellations to manage public events.
"Life goes on, but the way public space is used, especially during major celebrations, has clearly changed."
City officials said the cancellation applies only to the live concert.
Fireworks at the Arc de Triomphe are still expected at midnight, and a prerecorded concert will be broadcast on national television instead.
Police officials said controlling dense, fluid crowds on the Champs-Élysées is particularly difficult during a night associated with heavy alcohol consumption and spontaneous gatherings.
Mayor Anne Hidalgo accepted the police recommendation, stressing that public safety must come first.
Local officials from the 8th arrondissement, which includes the Champs-Élysées, backed the decision, noting that the avenue was not designed to safely accommodate a large concert crowd.
The New Year’s Eve concert on the Champs-Élysées has been a fixture of Paris’s holiday celebrations in recent years, combining live music with the midnight fireworks.
Officials said details of security arrangements for the fireworks and crowd access would be released closer to December 31.
Our Standards: The GB News Editorial Charter
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