The Eiffel Tower in Paris was shut on Monday as its employees went on strike in opposition to the elimination of girls colleagues from their workstations throughout a go to by a Hindu spiritual group, AFP quoted employees and administration of the landmark web site as saying.
The strike adopted a go to by a delegation of about 100 people related to the Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha to the Eiffel Tower on Saturday, BBC reported. On Sunday, the group consecrated its first major temple in France, situated within the suburbs of Paris, in a ceremony attended nearly by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The Eiffel Tower employees stated that feminine workers had been instructed “to make themselves invisible with a view to welcome this delegation”, AFP reported. The staffers stated they have been shocked to have been put in such a scenario.
“Some have been requested to go away their posts and withdraw to different areas,” the staffers have been quoted as saying. “In some posts, they have been changed by males. And all feminine workers have been instructed to not undergo or cross sure areas whereas the delegation was current.”
SETE, the corporate that manages the monument, stated that the Hindu delegation had requested for the go to to be organized to minimise “interactions with girls”, AFP reported. The corporate stated that such situations “mustn’t have been accepted”, as they have been inconsistent with its values and the precept of gender equality.
The corporate stated that it might “settle for the results” of the incident.
BAPS Paris stated that it respects “the considerations raised” and takes them very seriously. The group stated that to one of the best of its data, at no level was anybody prevented entry to the Eiffel Tower.
Nonetheless, it apologised for “any ache or inconvenience prompted” and stated it believes within the common values of mutual respect and repair.
“Because of the dimension of our delegation, the go to was organized together with the Eiffel Tower workforce at first of regular opening hours to keep away from disrupting or inconveniencing others,” BAPS Paris stated.
Nous comprenons les préoccupations exprimées et les prenons très au sérieux.
Compte tenu de la taille de notre délégation, la visite a été organisée en coordination avec les équipes de la tour Eiffel, au début des horaires habituels d’ouverture, afin de limiter autant que… pic.twitter.com/gyiwzmh6Jv
— BAPS Mandir Swaminarayan Hindou de Paris (@BAPSParis) September 7, 2026
Nonetheless, Paris Mayor Emmanuel Grégoire stated that such situations being positioned on Eiffel Tower staffers cannot be accepted. He stated that ladies and men should be capable to transfer freely on the web site with none gender discrimination.
“Equality between ladies and men won’t ever cease on the foot of our historic monuments, nor anyplace on this metropolis,” Grégoire asserted. “It have to be utilized all over the place, for everybody.”
The mayor stated an investigation could be launched into the matter.
Je prends connaissance du mouvement de colère des salarié·es de la tour Eiffel et je veux leur dire que leur mécontentement est légitime.
Il n’est pas acceptable que de telles situations puissent être tolérées. Ce ne sont ni mes valeurs, ni celles que doit porter la tour Eiffel,… https://t.co/3srttJpxPo
— Emmanuel Grégoire (@egregoire) September 7, 2026
French Equality Minister Aurore Bergé said on social media: “In France, we don’t ask girls to erase themselves. No dogma, no faith is above the legal guidelines of the Republic.”
Edited by Neerad Pandharipande.
