There are serious fears of Islamist terror attacks and disruption by Gaza activists at the Paris Olympics, the capital’s chief of police has said.

As the biggest sporting event in the world approaches, France remains on its highest security alert.

Laurent Nuñez said: “Islamist terrorism remains our main concern.”

The police chief said he feared anti-Israel demonstrators would disrupt the games, as well as direct action climate protest groups.

“The terrorist threat remains just as important as the protest threat posed by radical environmental groups, the ultra-left, and the pro-Palestinian movement,” Nuñez said.

Addressing a press conference on Friday, just under two months before the Olympics opening ceremony along the River Seine on July 26, Nuñez added:

“There is no clear-cut threat yet against the Games and our country but I’d like to remind you that at the end of May, two individuals were arrested in Saint-Etienne and were plotting a project aimed directly at the Olympic Games.”

Last month an 18-year-old Chechen man was arrested in the east-central city of Saint-Etienne, suspected of planning an attack during the Olympics in the name of Islamic State at the city's football stadium.

The country is also preparing for elections at the end of June as President Emmanuel Macron called a snap general election after his party suffered a big loss to the far-right in the EU elections earlier this month.