The Sao Paulo state government said it would deploy hundreds of police officers and provide escorts for team buses. NFL game between the Philadelphia Eagles and Green Bay Packers on Friday after Some players expressed concern About playing in Brazil.
Security operations for the game at Sao Paulo’s Neoquimica Arena will be coordinated with U.S. authorities, the state’s Public Security Secretariat said in a statement on Wednesday. Brazil has one of the highest gun violence and crime rates in Latin America. Metropolitan Sao Paulo has also faced a wave of cellphone thefts.
Hundreds of civil and military police will be deployed for the games. First NFL match According to the statement, the match will be played in the South American country. Military police will be used to escort the teams’ buses to their hotels, training grounds and stadiums.
“To ensure public safety for this historic match, our policing will be enhanced during the week, with officers deployed on the streets and routes surrounding the stadium, on public transport, hotels and tourist areas in the city,” the security secretariat said.
Earlier this week, Eagles cornerback Darius Slay said in a podcast that he didn’t want to go to Brazil because of the country’s crime rate. AJ Brown, a wide receiver on the same team, said he would likely stay in his hotel room throughout his time in Sao Paulo. Other players expressed similar concerns.
On Saturday, San Francisco 49ers rookie receiver Ricky Piersall was shot in the chest during an attempted robbery in central San Francisco.
The Sao Paulo state government said it would also send trained dogs to the stadium before the match to detect potential explosive devices that could endanger fans or players. Helicopters and drones will also be used.
The São Paulo police will have a station inside the stadium, where assistance will be offered to women victims of violence.