Excitement and Unrest Ahead of Today’s Opening Ceremony
The unique opening ceremony of Paris’ 2024 Olympic Games takes place this afternoon amidst an atmosphere of anticipation and chaos. For the first time in the Games’ history, the opening ceremony will not take place inside a stadium. Instead, athletes, dignitaries, and special guests will float down the historic River Seine into the center of the city.
Basketball legend LeBron James and 2023 U.S. Open Tennis Champion Coco Gauff will lead the American team. The American delegation will also include First Lady Jill Biden and Karen Bass, the Mayor of Los Angeles, the host city of the 2028 Games. Swimmer Florent Manaudou and discus thrower Mélina Robert-Michon will lead the way for the host French.
The opening ceremony will feature many of the world’s biggest celebrities, including performances by Lady Gaga and Celine Dion. Over 300,000 spectators are expected to attend the unprecedented event.
Potential strikes have complicated the lead-up to the ceremony. Performers who are protesting over pay and work conditions filed a strike notice for Friday. Workers at the five-star hotel housing members of the International Olympic Committee went on strike on Thursday. Meanwhile, a series of arson attacks on France’s rail system have caused cancellations and chaos. Multiple trains carrying athletes to Paris were delayed for hours. The Opening Ceremony is scheduled for 1:30 PM EST.
