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That’s not a killjoy question. It’s a critical one that has preoccupied French officials themselves since the plans for the Opening Ceremonies were unveiled two years ago.

For the first time, organizers gushed, the ceremony “will take place not in a stadium, but right in the heart of Paris,” with a procession on 160 boats bearing athletes down the Seine to the Eiffel Tower. They noted that along the route, one of the world’s loveliest urban tableaux, at least 600,000 onlookers — 10 times more than at almost any stadium event — would watch the spectacle “in the flesh.”

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That “bold choice,” as they called it, certainly represents an awe-inspiring chance for the Games to draw an ever bigger audience; for Paris to renew its brand as one of the world’s most coveted destinations; and for President Emmanuel Macron, for whom depthless ambition is a defining trait, to leave an unforgettable visual legacy as he approaches the home stretch of his final term in office.

It’s simultaneously true, though, that terrorist groups and lone wolves could hardly hope for a comparably target-rich opportunity. “What terrorist organization wouldn’t want a big event like this to get noticed?” said a senior Western official in Paris.

For French security forces, the Olympics are a no-fail mission, and France’s police, army and special forces are widely regarded as competent and efficient.

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They will deploy algorithm-enabled camera surveillance technology to screen potential assailants, a plan approved by a French court despite adamant opposition from privacy advocates. Tens of thousands of police, soldiers and private security personnel will be in place on and near the ceremony route. Snipers will surveil windows and roofs along the river route, and electronic jamming will block hostile drones that might try to fly near the event.

Security agencies will also benefit from the fact that despite the presence of illegal firearms in France, legal gun ownership is much less prevalent than in the United States — especially of military-style assault rifles, often used by American mass shooters.

But French officials remain faced with an event that is most likely too big, too open and too vulnerable to ensure safety comparable to other big-ticket happenings. The difference is simply one of........

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