Paris police seal off River Seine ahead of Olympics opening ceremony

People watch Notre Dame cathedral from outside the security zone set up for the Olympic Games, Thursday, July 18, 2024 in Paris. Starting Thursday, parts of the French capital will only be accessible to people who have registered for a QR code, as part of the massive security operation ahead of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. (AP Photo/David Goldman)

A special kind of iron curtain came down across central Paris on Thursday, with the beginning of an Olympic anti-terrorism perimeter along the banks of the River Seine sealing off a miles-long area to Parisians and tourists who had not applied in advance for a pass.

The words on many lips were “QR code”, the pass that grants access beyond snaking metal barriers that delineate the security zone set up to protect the Olympic Games’ opening ceremony on July 26.