Eiffel Tower Shut Down Amid Scandal: Female Staff Hidden From Hindu Delegation

A scandal has erupted in Paris over the Eiffel Tower: management closed the famous landmark on Monday after staff protested being forced to hide from a 100-strong Hindu delegation over the weekend.

According to SETE, the company that operates the tower, a delegation from the religious group Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS) visited the attraction privately, outside normal opening hours, and requested "limited interaction with women." As a result, female employees were asked to stay out of sight of the visiting group.

Staff Outrage

"As the delegation passed through, women were asked to leave their posts so that men could take their place," union representative Diane Davouin told Reuters. She said tension had been building throughout the weekend, and on Monday morning staff decided to gather together to open a dialogue with management and demand guarantees that women would never again be treated this way at the company. She later added that management had apologized to staff for what happened.

The tower's operator itself admitted it should never have agreed to the Hindu organization's conditions. "This does not align with our values or with the principle of equality between men and women," the company said, according to Le Monde.

Response From Officials and Organizers

Paris Deputy Mayor Emmanuel Grégoire said an investigation would begin as soon as possible. Writing on X, he said he understood staff's anger and considered their grievances legitimate. "The facts that led to this protest must be clarified urgently," he said.

BAPS representatives were in France for celebrations marking the opening of a Hindu temple on the outskirts of Paris. In a statement, the organization said the visit to the Eiffel Tower had been scheduled for the start of the working day precisely so as not to disturb other visitors, given the size of the delegation. "As far as we are aware, no one has ever been denied access to the Eiffel Tower. Nevertheless, we sincerely apologize for any inconvenience caused," the statement read.

Yaël Braun-Pivet, President of the French National Assembly, wrote on X that hospitality should never come at the cost of one's own values. "In France, women hold their full rightful place in public life. No one asks them to become invisible," she said.

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Around Prague, based on reporting by seznamzpravy.cz