Heatwave Strains Paris: Events on the Brink

Paris police urged organizers to cancel the Pride March due to an exceptional heatwave, which has pressured emergency services and hospitals. Similar requests were made to cancel Solidays music festival and an athletics meeting at Stade Charlety, as these events were expected to draw large crowds.

Paris police on Friday requested that organizers of the scheduled Saturday Pride March call off the event due to an ongoing extreme heatwave. The sweltering conditions have significantly strained the city's emergency services and hospitals.

The Pride March typically attracts tens of thousands to the streets of Paris. This year, however, authorities cautioned that proceeding with such a large gathering could jeopardize public safety amid the intense weather conditions.

The police also petitioned for the cancellation of the Solidays music festival and an athletics meeting at Stade Charlety, both expected to draw similar-sized crowds. Failure to comply could result in an outright ban, officials warned.