French soldiers patrol near the Louvre Museum in Paris on Jan. 10, 2015.LAURENT CIPRIANI/The Associated Press
Fearing that actors could be mistaken for police – and chase scenes confused for the real thing – Paris is sharply restricting filming of action movies in the city that been the stage for some of film's most memorable high-octane sequences.
Filming outside scenes with police, army or security services was quietly banned after the attacks in the French capital that left 20 dead, including three gunmen.
Sylvie Barnaud, the police official who grants outside filming permission in Paris, told Associated Press she did not know how long the ban could last. Tensions remain high in Paris, with armed police and soldiers still posted outside sensitive sites including synagogues, media offices and major shopping areas.