The Sao Paulo state government said it will deploy hundreds of police officers and provide escorts for team buses for Friday’s NFL game between the Philadelphia Eagles and the Green Bay Packers after some players expressed concern about playing in Brazil.
Security operations for the game at Sao Paulo’s NeoQuimica Arena will be coordinated with US authorities, the state’s General Security Secretariat said in a statement on Wednesday. Gun violence and crime rates in Brazil are among the highest in Latin America. Metropolitan Sao Paulo has also been hit by a wave of mobile phone thefts.
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Hundreds of civilian and military police officers will be deployed for the game first NFL game to be played in the South American country, according to the statement. Military police will be used to escort the teams’ buses to their hotels, training grounds and to the stadium.
“Our policing will be reinforced during the week to ensure the safety of the public for this historic match, with officers on the streets and avenues around the stadium, in public transport, in the hotels and in the tourist areas of the city,” the Security Secretariat said.
Earlier this week, Eagles cornerback Darius Slay said on a podcast that he didn’t want to go to Brazil because of the country’s crime rate. AJ Brown, a wide receiver for the same team, said he will probably stay in his hotel room throughout his time in Sao Paulo. Other players expressed similar concerns.
On Saturday, San Francisco 49ers rookie receiver Ricky Pearsall was shot in the chest during an attempted robbery in downtown San Francisco.
The Sao Paulo state government said it will also send trained dogs to the stadium before the match to detect potential explosive devices that could put fans or players at risk. Helicopters and drones will also be used.
Sao Paulo police will have a station inside the stadium to support women who are victims of violence.