The Eiffel Tower reopened Tuesday after staff walked out to protest the reported sidelining of female employees during a visit by a Hindu religious delegation that later apologized.
Management Says Conditions Should Not Have Been Accepted
Its operating company, SETE, said the delegation had requested arrangements that limited “interactions with women.” Management acknowledged that such conditions “should not have been accepted” and said the tower would reopen after talks with employees.
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Staff Say Female Workers Were Sidelined
Eiffel Tower employees condemned “professional instructions that led to female employees being sidelined, replaced and made invisible because of their sex” during the delegation’s visit.
Female employees and contractors were reportedly told to remain out of sight while the group was present. Some were asked to leave their posts and move to other areas, while men replaced some workers. Staff also said all female employees were instructed not to pass through certain areas during the visit.
Religious Organization Apologizes
The Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha, or BAPS, apologized for “any pain or inconvenience caused” by the incident. In a post on X, the organization said that, to its knowledge, “at no point was anyone prevented access to the Eiffel Tower.”
Given the delegation’s size, BAPS said organizers scheduled the visit with the Eiffel Tower team at the start of normal operating hours to avoid disrupting other visitors.
Political Backlash In Paris
The incident prompted a political response in France. Paris Mayor Emmanuel Grégoire said an investigation would be launched “as soon as possible,” while National Assembly President Yaël Braun-Pivet criticized the reported treatment of female workers.
“I refuse to accept that women should be told to step aside to meet the demands of foreign visitors,” Braun-Pivet said. “Welcoming others never means giving up our values. In France, women are fully present in public life. No one tells them to become invisible there.”
Eiffel Tower Closed On Monday
A notice on the Eiffel Tower website said the landmark was closed Monday because of “exceptional circumstances.” Visitors with tickets were advised to check their email, while the operating company apologized for the disruption.
