A teenager in a Bryce Young jersey stepped up beside the Seine on Friday and tried to throw a football across the river. The NFL had brought its Hail Mary challenge to the stretch of water near Notre-Dame Cathedral, giving fans a chance to attempt a long pass with one of Paris’s best-known landmarks behind them. His throw fell short, but that was hardly the point. The activity was part of the league’s effort to bring American football to the heart of Paris ahead of its first regular-season game in France. The city, however, was preparing for a very different kind of weekend.

Retailers boarded up storefront windows and stepped up security ahead of fresh demonstrations, while the Louvre and Musée d’Orsay were among the cultural institutions closed. Near the riverside football activation, 11 police vans passed with their emergency lights flashing. The protests were beginning to disrupt daily life across the capital, and by Saturday morning, the unrest had reached NFL’s main fan venues. 

The league informed fans through its OnePass app that NFL House in Paris would be closed for the day, citing “potential accessibility issues.”

Per ESPN, the decision followed the closure of the league’s pop-up merchandise shop in central Paris and came after the Pittsburgh Steelers had canceled their own fan gathering and the New Orleans Saints had postponed theirs. The Steelers and Saints were still scheduled to meet at Stade de France on Sunday, but with much less pomp and show.  

As for the NFL House, several activities were scheduled on Saturday, including French Athletes in Football, From the Field to the community, and fan experiences and displays, including an expected Lombardi Trophy display, according to a fan interviewed by AP.

At the same time, ESPN reported that on Friday, October 23, French President Emmanuel Macron met NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, Saints owner Gayle Benson, and Steelers owner Art Rooney II at the Élysée Palace. According to reports, the meeting concerned Sunday’s game and the league’s long-term future in Paris.

The league’s decision came after both teams had already taken certain steps for security reasons ahead of the matchup in Paris. This week only, the Steelers canceled their planned Steelers House event on Thursday, October 22. Per reports, the gathering was supposed to take place near Paris’s Bastille neighborhood, where recent unrest had raised security concerns.

“Following recent events in the Bastille neighborhood, and after careful consideration, we felt it appropriate not to move forward with the planned Steelers House fan event in Paris,” the team said in a statement. “Preparations for Sunday’s NFL Paris game at Stade de France continue as planned, with NFL working closely with local authorities and partners on all operational and security matters.”

Meanwhile, the Saints announced on Saturday that their Saints House gathering would be postponed until Sunday, citing, “Saints House has been postponed until Sunday. Official hours will be announced later today.”

These major decisions came amid tensions surrounding the country. The protest began in September amid dissatisfaction with conditions in France’s education system, including teacher shortages, overcrowded classrooms, and inadequate resources. French Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez announced the deployment of 70,000 officers for Saturday’s demonstrations, 10,000 more than the previous weekend.

At the same time, the disruption extends well beyond the NFL. Per reports, multiple museums, including the Louvre and Musée d’Orsay, are closed. The Paris Opera House suspended activities for the day. More than 20 metro stations were shut, with some reports specifying 24.

Despite the issues, however, the NFL plans to host the game in Paris. Meanwhile, the league has also increased security for the game. NFL executive vice president Peter O’Reilly explained that the league was coordinating with French and Parisian authorities, as well as the U.S. State Department.

“There’s nothing more important from our standpoint than the teams’ security, the fans’ security — everybody involved with this game,” said O’Reilly at the league meeting. “Obviously being very vigilant in everything we do, in all of our planning on an hour-by-hour basis, working closely with the two teams.”

O’Reilly also said the league had never reached a point where canceling the game was considered necessary. On the other hand, Roger Goodell also confirmed that he had spoken with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and that the league remained in contact with French authorities. The commissioner expressed confidence that the necessary preparations had been made and noted that protests were not uncommon in France.

While the NFL’s decision to host the game in Paris amid the protest certainly drew mixed reactions, Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers has backed it up.

“I definitely think that the NFL is alert to what’s going on,” said Rodgers during a press conference on Friday. “This game means a lot to the NFL. If it was unsafe, then I’m sure we wouldn’t be here.”

The Saints reached Paris just after their Week 6 win over the New York Giants, while the Steelers departed following their practice on Thursday. While the league was forced to close its event, the game is still scheduled to be played at Stade de France on October 25.