Members of the Saccage 2024 collective gathered outside the Paris 2024 Olympic Games organizing committee in Saint-Denis on December 11, 2022. In recent months, Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin has targeted environmentalist groups like Soulèvements de la Terre, Dernière Rénovation, and Saccage 2024, citing them as potential sources of disruption during the Olympic torch relay. Darmanin has warned that he will not allow any protests to disturb the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Since Paris launched its bid for the Olympics in 2015, anti-Olympics groups have been relatively quiet. Unlike previous editions, where there were visible protests in cities like London, Tokyo, Boston, and Hamburg, opposition to the Paris Games has remained low-key. Natsuko Sasaki, a member of Saccage 2024 who experienced the Tokyo Games, notes that while mobilization has not been massive, other places have seen numerous and effective protest groups.
In early February, a small gathering took place outside the Olympic Village in Saint-Denis, criticizing the planned 14,000 studios for athletes when the Seine-Saint-Denis region faces a housing shortage. In mid-March, banners rejecting the “concrete Olympics” were displayed outside the media village. More recently, a festive parade at Austerlitz station denounced the helicopters-taxis that Paris Airports plans to deploy during the events.
Behind these actions are groups like Extinction Rebellion (XR), Youth for Planet, PEPS, and Saccage 2024, representing radical ecology and autonomy movements opposed to the mega sporting event. Critics argue that the billions spent on the Olympics do not benefit the poor and that the games cater to the world’s wealthy, excluding lower-income populations. Ritchy Thibault, spokesperson for PEPS, highlights the lack of investment in marginalized communities in contrast to the extravagant spending on the Olympics.
Despite the government’s efforts to prevent disruptions, anti-Olympics activists remain committed to voicing their concerns. By challenging the environmental impact, social inequalities, and financial priorities of the Paris 2024 Games, these groups aim to raise awareness and spark dialogue about the broader implications of hosting such a massive sporting event. As the Games draw closer, the tension between supporters and opponents of the Olympics in Paris continues to simmer, underscoring the complex dynamics at play in the lead-up to this major international event.
