Olympic athletes warned after attacks on Aussies in Paris
Australian’s Olympic athletes in Paris have been advised not to travel alone or wear their uniforms in public after two violent attacks on Australians in 48 hours.
French police are investigating allegations a 25-year-old Australian woman was gang-raped by five men during a night out near the Moulin Rouge.
The attack came just days before the Olympic Games opening ceremony in Paris on Friday (Saturday AEST).
Harrowing CCTV has emerged of the woman entering a kebab shop in central Paris’ party district to seek help after the alleged violent attack.
The footage, obtained by the Seven Network, shows the woman being comforted in the store by staff and diners early on Sunday (local time).
At one point a man, whom the woman claims was among her attackers, enters the takeaway shop. He is seen lingering and then approaching the alleged victim and patting her on the back before fleeing.
The kebab shop owner told Seven the woman could not stop crying and that her dress was damaged.
Just 48 hours later, two members of Nine’s Olympics broadcast team say they were the victims of an attempted robbery as they walked to their accommodation in the city’s north-east on Monday (Paris time).
Nine newspapers report the attackers tried to snatch the tech employees’ backpacks and they were assaulted in the scuffle that ensued.
The Australian team’s chef de mission Anna Meares said Olympians had been reminded about protecting their safety after the alleged attack on the woman.
“It sounds horrific,” said Meares on Tuesday (AEST).
“Obviously, our hearts go out to the woman involved, and we hope she’s been cared for and supported in the trauma that she’s experienced.”
Meares said the security presence was high for Australia’s Olympic athletes.
“What information we’re passing onto our athletes is that security presence is really, really high and that’s in order for them to act as quickly as possible to keep them safe,” she said.
“We don’t yet have any feedback from our athletes that they have felt unsafe.
“We are encouraging them, if they go out of the village, not to go out on their own, not to wear [their] team uniform, just to wear plain clothes.
“We’re just waiting on further information on the actual case itself.”
French newspapers report that police are investigating the gang-rape allegation, which came just days before the Paris Olympic Games begin, with thousands of tourists in the city.
Officers are trying to piece together the Australian woman’s movements on Saturday night and early Sunday.
There have been no arrests, but the BBC reports prosecutors are treating the investigation as gang rape.
The attack reportedly occurred at the Boulevard de Clichy, a famous street in the 18th arrondissement near the Moulin Rouge nightclub.
Australia’s Home Affairs Minister Clare O’Neil told Sunrise she felt “physically sick” when reading about the attack on the woman.
“I just want to say to her on behalf of the Australian Government, every Australian [is] thinking about her today,” O’Neil said on Wednesday.
“People are entitled to travel to a beautiful country like France and do so safely.”
O’Neil said the Australian Olympic team seemed to be aware of the potential security and safety issues facing athletes.
“It is a shame they don’t feel like they can go out and wear their uniform,” she said.
“We want them to have a good Olympics and bring home the medals and enjoy the experience.
“Paris is not necessarily an unsafe place. The French are doing all they can to keep all the participants in the Olympics as well as the spectators as safe as they could be. Everyone should be aware.”
