A weekend event for Pittsburgh Steelers fans in Paris has been canceled because of security concerns following recent street protests in the French capital.
The NFL and the team both said Thursday that the event, at a bar in the Bastille neighborhood, was off.
The announcement came a day after league Commissioner Roger Goodell said he has a high comfort level in the teams playing in Paris amid recent civil unrest.
More demonstrations could be in store this weekend in the capital and elsewhere around France, but the NFL has refused to scrap its game between the Steelers and New Orleans Saints.
‘Following recent events in the Bastille neighborhood, and after careful consideration, we felt it appropriate not to move forward with the planned Steelers House fan event in Paris,’ a message sent to fans read.
‘Preparations for Sunday’s NFL Paris game at Stade de France continue as planned,’ it added, ‘with the NFL working closely with local authorities and partners on all operational and security matters.’
The NFL’s first ever game in France is taking place against a backdrop of violence and anarchy
Players arrived in Paris while the streets continued to burn in a series of dangerous protests
Around 2,400 people were arrested, with thousands of businesses damaged or looted
Nicki Ewell, NFL vice president for global events, said the decision was made by the club. She told The Associated Press at NFL House on Thursday that the NFL distributed the message to fans because they worked together to promote the event.
Ewell added that no NFL fan events have been affected.
An Irish pub called O’Sullivans in the Bastille area had been advertising a ‘watch party’ for Sunday.
The Steelers, in a statement to the Associated Press, said: ‘The NFL, as they do for every game, including international games, is working closely with local authorities and partners on all operational and security matters. As stated by the NFL, there have been no disruptions or impacts at League sites.
‘As a precautionary measure, the Steelers designated bar that had been planned in Bastille – an area that has experienced recent disruptions – will not proceed,’ the team’s statement added.
On Wednesday, Goodell said he had spoken with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and that officials remain in contact with Parisian and French authorities.
‘We’ve made all the preparations,’ Goodell said. ‘Protests are not unusual in France, as you know, and that’s something that we will be aware of and make sure that the appropriate arrangements are made.’
View of charred objects from a newsstand after the weekend riots over the cost of living
The game will take place at the Stade de France, which has been transformed into an NFL field
Pittsburgh Steelers QB Aaron Rodgers speaks during a news conference ahead of the game
The demonstrations first erupted last month in a high school in Creteil, southeast of Paris, over a lack of staff. From there, class strikes, blockades and demonstrations spread to other Paris suburbs and then nationwide, even in smaller towns.
High school students have raised concerns about underfunded schools, dilapidated facilities and staff shortages, particularly in lower-income neighborhoods.
Some also called for a reform of the university admissions system, seen by many as complex and unfair.
With the government seemingly unable to respond to students’ demands, the school demonstrations and blockades have morphed into larger protests over soaring living costs, just months before next year’s presidential election to choose Emmanuel Macron’s successor.
