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France Mobilizes 30,000 Police to Secure New Year's Eve
"France has mobilized nearly 30,000 police officers for New Year's Eve to prevent any public disturbances such as the car torchings that occurred last year.
Some 8,000 police will be stationed in Paris and its major suburbs, especially on posts along the famous Champs Elysee and under the sparkling Eiffel Tower where hundreds of thousands of people were expected to gather for the New Year countdown.
According to local media, there were 1,147 cars set afire last New Year's Eve. About 30 percent of the cars were torched by mobs or drunkards.
The Eiffel Tower will celebrate its 120th birthday this year. To mark the occasion, there will be a spectacular luminaire show and musical concert on the Square of Mars that was expected to attract thousands of visitors.
A rally of a similar size was also expected on the Champs Elysee. Last year as many as 550,000 people gathered on the famed 2,000-meter long street.
Police also were expected to keep an eye out for street problems such as alcohol drinking, said local media.
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