On Friday evening, police officials reported multiple attacks in Paris, including a shootout in the restaurant Le Petit Cambodge, an explosion in a bar near the national stadium, Stade de France, and a hostage situation at Bataclan concert hall. The violence has many wondering: Is Paris safe? According to AFP, Paris city authorities are urging residents to stay home after the Nov. 13 attacks.
In addition, The Guardian reports that French president François Hollande will declare a State of Emergency across France following the attacks. The country's borders will be closed and "military units were being deployed in Paris to ensure no further attacks could take place in Paris." Hollande urged France to remain calm in the time of violence.
According to Fox, French Football Federation President Noël Le Graët released a statement saying, "The Stade de France is secure. There is no longer any danger, people will leave normally." Citizens of the city are assisting as well: The #PorteOuverte hashtag has Twitter users opening up their homes as shelter for those seeking safety on the streets of Paris.
The year 2015 has been an especially tumultuous one for the French city, beginning with the brutal Charlie Hebdo killings in January.
Despite the recent surge of violence, the U.S. Embassy still lists France as a relatively safe country for tourists. Similar to many major cities, the Embassy reports that most of the crimes committed are non-violent, consisting mainly of pick pocketing other forms of theft with minimal violence. After the Charlie Hebdo attack, the Wall Street Journal reported that Patrick Klugman, the city's deputy mayor, put out a statement saying, “Strong measures have been taken to protect the city, people are aware of that."
In a 2014 crime and safety report, the U.S. Department Of State Bureau of Diplomatic Security also notes that Paris is relatively safe, violent crimes rarely occur in the city center, and that the government routinely "increases the visible security presence at airports, train and metro stations, schools, major tourist attractions, and government installations."
The most recent shootings and explosions around Paris are the deadliest violence in France in decades, the AP reports.
