The Eiffel Tower was closed for a day after employees protested the removal of female staff during a private BAPS Hindu group visit in Paris.
Web Desk: The Eiffel Tower reopened on Tuesday after being closed for a day following a staff protest over the removal of female employees from certain areas during a private visit by a Hindu religious group, according to French and international media reports.
The controversy arose during a private visit by around 100 members of BAPS, or Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha, to the Paris landmark last week.
According to Eiffel Tower employees, some female workers were instructed to leave their usual duty locations and move out of sight while the delegation was present. In some areas, male employees were reportedly assigned in their place.
Eiffel Tower staff protest
Employees strongly objected to the arrangements, saying that female staff had been moved or replaced on the basis of gender.
Staff representatives said some female employees were also instructed not to pass through certain areas during the group’s visit.
The protests subsequently disrupted normal operations at the landmark, resulting in the Eiffel Tower being closed to visitors for the day.
Eiffel Tower management acknowledges concerns
The company operating the Eiffel Tower confirmed that the religious delegation had requested arrangements aimed at limiting interaction with female staff.
Management acknowledged that such conditions should not have been accepted.
The company said the arrangements were inconsistent with its values and principles of equality between men and women.
Ariel Weil, president of the Eiffel Tower operating company and a Socialist official in Paris, also described restrictions on women’s presence as unacceptable and reaffirmed the landmark’s commitment to equality.
BAPS apologises
BAPS said it understood the concerns raised by Eiffel Tower employees and was taking them seriously.
The organisation said the visit had been arranged with the Eiffel Tower authorities because of the size of the delegation and the intention of reducing disruption to other visitors.
BAPS also said that, to its knowledge, no individual had been denied entry to the Eiffel Tower.
However, it apologised if the arrangements caused inconvenience or distress and reiterated its commitment to mutual respect and service to others.
Political reaction in France
The incident triggered criticism from several French political figures.
Paris official Emmanuel Grégoire said an investigation should begin as soon as possible and described the anger among Eiffel Tower employees as justified.
French Minister for Equality and Women’s Rights Aurore Bergé also criticised the incident, stressing that women in France should not be asked to make themselves invisible because of religious or cultural demands.
French political figures including Marine Le Pen and Gabriel Attal also criticised any attempt to restrict women’s presence in public life.
Eiffel Tower reopens
Following the staff protest, the Eiffel Tower remained closed throughout Monday.
A staff representative said the landmark reopened normally on Tuesday.
The Eiffel Tower is among the world’s best-known tourist attractions and receives around 7 million visitors each year, according to information cited by Express News.
The controversy has now shifted toward questions about workplace equality, religious accommodation and the responsibilities of public-facing institutions when dealing with private groups.
