Keeping Paris Secure

           

           When I was in Paris last week I learned of the terrorist attack in New York—not from a news announcement on television, but from a Frenchman who was eager to communicate his sympathy for our loss. Parisians, of course, have suffered much more from terrorism than we have. And they are doing much more about it than we are.

            Paris is the most visited city in the world, and that presents special problems for those charged with protection against terrorists. Soldiers armed with automatic weapons are present near all popular attractions, ready to respond forcefully to any emergency; tourists entering all museums and government buildings go through metal detectors and bag checks; some buildings, like the Hotel de Ville, are closed altogether to tourists “for security reasons.” Worse, entry gates are shut at the least hint of trouble, as we saw at Versailles and the Pantheon, which were closed as a precaution against possible actions by strikers. When 200-300 bikers threatened to demonstrate in front of the Madeleine, 60 members of the French National Guard showed up…just in case. Parisians are serious about protecting their city.

            After incidents in other cities like London and Brussels, authorities know that subway systems are very vulnerable: you simply can’t bag-check every passenger without bringing the system to a grinding halt. Instead, Paris has installed monitored security cameras everywhere in Le Metro. Heightened security seems to produce other benefits, as well. Stations are virtually trash-free, and graffiti artists don’t dare spray station walls. In fact, many stations have bright, colorful artwork on their walls. One station near the Louvre even features niches with Greek and Roman statuary. Best yet, music often fills Le Metro, as amateur musicians serenade commuters; I heard enough musical instruments on the cars and in the passageways to assemble a small orchestra: a jazz trumpet, a saxophone, a violin, a flute, a baritone, several guitars, two accordions playing “La Vie en Rose,” and lots of singers with little boxes of recorded background music.

            The daily commute may be drudgery. But for Parisians it doesn’t have to be entirely unpleasant.