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The state-owned railway operator said arsonists had targeted installations along the lines connecting Paris with the country’s west, north and east and that traffic would be severely disrupted during the weekend.
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“Last night, the SNCF was victim of several acts of vandalism on the Atlantic, Northern and Eastern high-speed lines. Fires were deliberately set to damage our installations,” the SNCF said in a statement.
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Sports Minister Amélie Oudéa-Castéra condemned the vandalism. “It’s completely appalling,” she told BFMTV. “To target the games is to target France.”. Reuters
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Hello and welcome to Friday’s 2024 Olympics live blog.
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It’s time for lift-off in Paris, as Angelique Chrisafis reports from the French capital:
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“It is billed as the biggest open-air show on Earth – a spectacle so ambitious it will shut down a city centre and its airspace, mobilise 45,000 police and several army units and has taken two years to rehearse in secret.
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When the Paris Olympics opening ceremony begins on Friday night, it will be the first time the theatrical curtain-raiser for the world’s biggest sporting event has taken place outside a stadium.”
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Important Events
Attacks targeting France’s high-speed rail network
Vandals targeted France’s TGV high-speed rail network in a series of coordinated actions, causing major disruption to some of the country’s busiest railway lines ahead of the opening ceremonies of the Paris Olympics.
The national rail operator said arsonists had targeted properties along tracks connecting Paris with the west, north and east of France, causing severe traffic disruptions over the weekend.
“Last night, SNCF was the victim of several acts of vandalism on its Atlantic, Northern and Eastern high-speed railways, where fires were deliberately set in order to damage our equipment,” SNCF said in a statement.
Sports Minister Amélie Oudea Castella condemned the vandalism. “It’s an absolutely horrible act,” she told BFMTV. “Targeting the Olympics is targeting France.” Reuters
“The French live-action experiment The great man of all time theory sees them progressing to the semi-finals on Saturday where they will face South Africa.”
Andy Bull was at the Stade de France last night to watch Antoine Dupont lead the home team to the Rugby Sevens semi-final.
preamble
Hello and welcome to Friday’s 2024 Olympics live blog.
It’s time for take-off in Paris. Angélique Cris-Afils reports from the French capital.
“It’s billed as the biggest open-air show on Earth, an ambitious spectacle that involves sealing off the city and the airspace above it, mobilizing 45,000 police and multiple military forces, and rehearsing in secret for two years.”
The opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics gets underway on Friday evening, in what will be the first time that the theatrical kick-off of the world’s biggest sporting event will take place outside a stadium.”
