By: ATN News
Paris: France’s high-speed rail network suffered widespread and “criminal” acts of vandalism, including arson attacks, on Friday. The coordinated sabotage paralyzed travel to Paris from across France and Europe, thwarting Olympic athletes' journeys only hours before the grand opening ceremony of the Games.
French officials condemned the incidents as “criminal actions,” although there was no evidence to suggest a direct link to the Olympic Games. Prosecutors in Paris have launched a national investigation, with potential sentences for the crimes ranging from 10 to 20 years.
“It’s a hell of a way to start the Olympics,” said Sarah Moseley, a 42-year-old traveler waiting at the Gare du Nord station in Paris as she learned her train to London was delayed.
As Paris authorities prepared for a spectacular parade along the Seine River, three fires were reported near the tracks on the high-speed lines of Atlantique, Nord, and Est. The fires caused disruptions affecting hundreds of thousands of travelers, including Olympic athletes.
Two out of four trains carrying Olympic athletes to Paris on the western Atlantique high-speed line were halted hours before the opening ceremony, according to an official from the French railway operator SNCF. Additionally, two German showjumping athletes had to turn back in Belgium due to the closures, causing them to miss the ceremony.
“There was no longer a chance of making it on time,” rider Philipp Weishaupt, traveling with teammate Christian Kukuk, told the German news agency dpa.
French Prime Minister Gabriel Attal stated that France’s intelligence services have been mobilized to find the perpetrators of the “acts of sabotage,” which he described as “prepared and coordinated.” He noted that the actions aimed to block the high-speed train network and were strategically timed to impact the northern, eastern, and western routes into Paris just hours before the Olympic opening ceremony.
Jean-Pierre Farandou, CEO of SNCF, described the attacks as “premeditated, calculated, coordinated” and intended to “seriously harm” the French people. He explained that the fires were strategically placed to maximize disruption, with each fire cutting off two lines.
Railway maintenance workers managed to thwart a suspected sabotage attempt along tracks southeast of Paris. “These people left very quickly when they realized they were spotted. So, thank you to the railway workers,” Farandou said. “Unfortunately, we couldn’t do it everywhere.”
Transport Minister Patrice Vergriete reported that train traffic was beginning to resume in the afternoon, especially on the Atlantique line, which had been completely halted. “At Montparnasse station and Bordeaux station, which were the most affected, we should find one in three trains running this afternoon. Things are already improving,” he said.
The attacks occurred amid heightened security measures and global tensions as Paris prepared for the 2024 Olympic Games. Authorities have been on high alert, deploying 35,000 police officers daily in Paris, with a peak of 45,000 for the opening ceremony.
Earlier this week, France’s interior minister stated that around 1,000 individuals suspected of possible meddling for foreign powers had been blocked from attending the Games. While Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin pointed to suspicions of Russia-backed interference, he also noted threats from other unnamed countries. Among those blocked were individuals suspected of Islamic radicalization, political extremism, or those with significant criminal records.
The Paris police prefecture concentrated its personnel in Parisian train stations following the “massive attack” that paralyzed the TGV high-speed network, Paris police chief Laurent Nuñez told France Info television. Additionally, the French airport of Basel-Mulhouse, located on the border with Germany and Switzerland, was briefly evacuated and shut down for safety reasons, though no connection to the rail attacks was confirmed.
The disruptions hit Paris’ Montparnasse station particularly hard. Maiwenn Labbé-Sorin, a stranded traveler, recounted her experience: “We stayed two hours without water, without toilets, without electricity. Then we could go out on the track for a bit and then the train returned. Now I’m not sure what’s going to happen.”
At Gare du Nord, one of Europe’s busiest train stations, passengers were left seeking answers and solutions. Services to northern France, Belgium, and the United Kingdom were delayed, causing widespread frustration. “They should have more information for tourists, especially if it’s a malicious attack,” said Corey Grainger, a 37-year-old Australian sales manager on his way to London.
Sports Minister Amélie Oudéa-Castera assured that authorities were working to evaluate the impact on travelers and athletes and to ensure the transport of all delegations to competition sites for the Olympics. “Playing against the Games is playing against France, against your own camp, against your country,” she said on BFM television.
As the city braces for the opening ceremony, where 7,000 Olympic athletes are set to sail down the Seine past iconic Parisian landmarks, the impact of the day’s events casts a shadow over what was meant to be a celebratory moment for Paris. The attacks highlight the challenges and security concerns faced in hosting such a monumental event.
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