Eiffel Tower closed after staff strike over women moved aside for religious group's visit

Paris's Eiffel Tower was closed to visitors on Monday after staff staged a strike in response to an incident during the weekend visit of a Hindu religious group.

Around 100 people linked to the Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS) organisation visited the monument on Saturday. According to staff union representative Diane Davoine, female employees were told to leave their work posts so that men could take their place during the visit.

Davoine told Reuters the episode left employees, particularly women, feeling humiliated, and that tensions built over the weekend until staff decided on Monday to meet, first to open dialogue with management and then to demand such treatment never happen again.

Company and officials respond

Société d'Exploitation de la tour Eiffel (SETE), which runs the landmark, confirmed to AFP that the delegation had requested limits on "interactions with women" during the visit, and said these conditions should never have been accepted, as they conflicted with the company's values and principles of gender equality. SETE president Ariel Weil called the practice unacceptable and reaffirmed the tower's commitment to republican values and equality between men and women.

Paris Mayor Emmanuel Grégoire said an investigation would be opened into the visit and backed the employees' anger as legitimate, stressing that gender equality must apply everywhere in the city. Several French politicians also weighed in, including hard-right leader Marine Le Pen and former prime minister Gabriel Attal, both saying no culture or belief should dictate women's place in France.

BAPS apology

BAPS, which consecrated its first major temple in France on Sunday near Paris, said in a statement that the visit had been arranged with the Eiffel Tower team to avoid disrupting other visitors, and apologised for any pain caused, saying it believes in mutual respect and service.