Arson and Vandalism Disrupt High-Speed Train Lines in Paris Ahead of Olympic Opening Ceremony

Picture credit – Reuters / ANI

Paris: French high-speed train lines were targeted on Friday with acts of arson and vandalism occurring at stations. These incidents caused the halting of trains at several stations and disrupted the railway network. It is seen as an attempt to disrupt travel ahead of the Paris Olympic opening ceremony. The French state railway company SNCF stated that this was a major attack aimed at crippling the high-speed line network. The arsonists targeted installations on lines connecting Paris to cities like Lille in the north, Bordeaux in the west, and Strasbourg in the east. As a result, several railway lines were affected.

SNCF mentioned, “A large number of trains had to be diverted or canceled. Travelers who could postpone their journey were advised not to come to the station.” The railway operator added that the Atlantic, northern, and eastern high-speed lines were impacted, causing significant damage to several of its facilities. SNCF noted that many lines were disrupted, potentially affecting up to 800,000 passengers. Traffic is expected to be severely disrupted until the end of this weekend.

Rémi Train Center Val de Loire stated that travel on its railway lines would be disrupted until at least Monday due to services in Paris being affected by fires near the tracks in Courtenay, northern France. The high-speed train service connecting the United Kingdom to France also had to be canceled and diverted. Travel between Paris and Lille was particularly impacted, necessitating route changes and increasing travel time.

These incidents occurred just hours before the conclusion of the Olympic torch relay and the start of the opening ceremony. The ceremony is expected to draw over 320,000 spectators along the banks of the Seine River. France’s Minister for Sports and the Olympic and Paralympic Games, Amélie Oudéa-Castéra, stated that the disruption to train lines is a form of coordinated sabotage. The French Home Ministry announced plans to deploy around 35,000 police officers daily during the Games, with the number reaching 45,000 for the opening ceremony. Additionally, 10,000 soldiers will be deployed in the Paris region.