PARIS (AP) — French police have ordered the evacuation of the area around the Eiffel Tower after a man was seen climbing the city’s landmark just hours before the Olympic closing ceremony on Sunday.
A shirtless man was seen climbing the 330-metre (1,083-foot) tower in the afternoon. It is unclear where he began his climb, but he was spotted just above the first observation deck, just above the Olympic rings that adorn the second section of the monument.
Police escorted visitors from the location at about 3 p.m. Some of the visitors who were briefly trapped on the second floor were allowed to leave about 30 minutes later.
The Eiffel Tower was the centerpiece of the opening ceremony, with Celine Dion serenading the city from its observation deck. The Eiffel Tower is not expected to feature at the closing ceremony, which is due to begin at 9pm at the Stade de France in the northern suburb of Saint-Denis.
🇷 Attention – Run a train on the Eiffel Tower’s escalators to host the Olympics. Le monument à été évacué. (Associated Press) #Paris2024 pic.twitter.com/ZrsHdiFAXt
— Mediavenir (@Mediavenir) August 11, 2024
The incident occurred as the Olympic games were drawing to a close, with security authorities in and around Paris turning their focus to the Closing Ceremony that will bring the Games to a close.
More than 30,000 police officers were deployed around Paris on Sunday. French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin said about 3,000 police officers would be deployed around the Stade de France to ensure security on the final day of the Olympics, and 20,000 police and other security personnel would be in Paris and the Saint-Denis area until late on Sunday.
