Eiffel Tower closed to visitors amid national strike in France
The monument is shut to visitors as thousands protest over wages; some Louvre galleries are also closed.
The Eiffel Tower was closed to visitors today because of a national strike in France, the company that operates the monument announced.
Workers and trade unions called the strike demanding higher wages and measures to improve the population’s purchasing power. Thousands of people took to the streets this morning; students and secondary-school pupils also joined, staging demonstrations outside educational institutions.
Earlier closure in September after controversy
The tower has been closed before for industrial action. On 8 September the monument was shut following a protest linked to the decision to remove female employees from the route taken by a group of Hindu worshippers.
According to Le Parisien, the group of around 100 men was escorted to the third floor exclusively by male staff. The incident provoked strong reactions across France. Emmanuel Gregoire, the deputy mayor of Paris, expressed support for the demonstrators and announced an investigation, and the company that runs the tower later admitted the decision to remove female employees was a mistake.
Because of today’s strike, some galleries at the Louvre museum were also closed.
Photo: press material from the event
