Eiffel Tower closed after disputed incident involving women workers and Hindu delegation

The Eiffel Tower closed on Monday after employees went on strike over an incident in which female workers allegedly were removed from their posts during a visit by a Hindu religious delegation.

The incident took place on Saturday, when about 100 people linked to Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha, known as BAPS, visited the Paris landmark. Diane Davoine, a union representative, said women working at the site had been asked to leave so men could take their positions.

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During the visit of this delegation, women were asked to leave their workstations to put men in their place.

“During the visit of this delegation, women were asked to leave their workstations to put men in their place,” Davoine told Reuters. She said the Eiffel Tower administration later apologized to the affected employees, but anger among staff continued. “Tensions rose over the weekend, and this morning employees decided to meet, first to open a dialogue with management and, second, to ensure that women will never again be treated this way within the company,” she said.

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Tensions rose over the weekend, and this morning employees decided to meet, first to open a dialogue with management and, second, to ensure that women will never again be treated this way within the company.

Société d’Exploitation de la tour Eiffel, the company that runs the monument, confirmed that the delegation had asked for the visit to be organized to limit “interactions with women,” according to AFP. The company acknowledged that the conditions should not have been accepted and said they did not fit its values or the principle of equality between women and men.

SETE president Ariel Weil called the situation “clearly unacceptable” and reaffirmed the Eiffel Tower’s commitment to French republican values and gender equality. BAPS, which had recently inaugurated its first major temple in France, said the visit was arranged with monument representatives at the start of normal operating hours to avoid disturbing other visitors. In a statement on X, it apologized for “any pain or inconvenience caused” and said it supported universal values of mutual respect and service to others.

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clearly unacceptable

Paris Mayor Emmanuel Grégoire announced an investigation to clarify the circumstances of the visit. BAPS describes itself as a volunteer-based spiritual organization founded on Hindu values, with temples in cities including London, Los Angeles and Sydney.

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any pain or inconvenience caused