Eiffel Tower reopens after row over removing women staff

The Eiffel Tower reopened on Tuesday after staff walked out over the removal of women colleagues during a visit by a Hindu religious group. SETE, the company that operates the Paris landmark, said the group's request to limit "interactions with women" should never have been accepted.

Why did the Eiffel Tower close after the women staff row?

Staff walked out after being told to sideline female colleagues during a weekend visit by a Hindu delegation. SETE, which runs the monument, confirmed the group had asked for the visit to be arranged in a way that limited contact with women. The company said in a statement that these conditions should not have been agreed to.

What happened when the Eiffel Tower reopened?

The Eiffel Tower, which says it receives nearly seven million visitors a year, reopened on Tuesday morning. Visitors returned through the usual security checkpoints at the base of the monument. The tower had been closed the previous day, when SETE held a meeting between staff and management to address the dispute.

What did Eiffel Tower staff say happened during the visit?

Staff condemned what they called professional instructions that led to female employees being sidelined, replaced and made invisible because of their sex. In a statement, they said female employees of the Eiffel Tower and of contractors were told to make themselves invisible to welcome the delegation. Some were asked to leave their posts, with men replacing them in certain roles, and all female staff were told not to cross certain areas while the group was present.

How did the Hindu delegation respond?

The Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS) spiritual movement apologized for any pain or inconvenience caused by the incident. The organization said that, to its knowledge, no one was ever prevented from accessing the Eiffel Tower. It said the visit had been arranged with the Eiffel Tower team at the start of normal operating hours specifically to avoid disrupting other visitors, citing the size of its delegation.

BAPS, which has close ties to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's ruling Hindu nationalist party, opened its first major temple in France on Sunday near Paris. BAPS spiritual leader Mahant Swami Maharaj, 93, consecrated the temple himself. The organization says it runs a worldwide network of more than 1,300 temples, some inaugurated by Modi.

How have French politicians reacted to the Eiffel Tower incident?

France's gender equality minister Aurore Berge said France does not ask women to erase themselves. Far-right presidential candidate Marine Le Pen said France would never accept limits on women's presence. Centrist candidate Gabriel Attal said no culture, belief or religion can dictate to women what their place should be, with both politicians speaking ahead of next year's presidential election.