Vandals disrupted France’s high-speed train with malicious acts including arson just hours before the Paris Olympics opening ceremony.
The situation in Paris is obviously tense and people are very fearful of what may happen next.
More than 3,20,000 spectators and 7,500 athletes are expected to attend the Paris Olympics opening ceremony along the River Seine.
High-Speed Line Network Disrupted
The state-owned railway operator, SNCF called the overnight disruption a “ massive attack aimed at paralyzing the high-speed line network.’’
SNCF chief executive Jean-Pierre Farandou said 8,00,000 passengers were affected.
The SNCF said in a post on X that a large number of trains have been diverted or cancelled.
SNCF said that the arsonists had targeted installations along the lines connecting Paris with other cities.
These included cities such as such as Lille in the north, Bordeaux in west and Strasbourg in the east.
The railway operator said the disruption hit Atlantic, Northern and Eastern high-speed lines, with damage caused to many facilities.
Travel Chaos
In all the chaos, the SNCF urged all travellers to postpone their journeys.
Nobody has so far claimed responsibility.
It is also not clear if the action relates to politics.
Repairs are underway but traffic would be severely disrupted until at least the end of the weekend.
On the day of the Paris Olympics opening ceremony, trains are being sent back to their points of departure.
Vandalism
“Last night, the SNCF was victim of several acts of vandalism on the Atlantic, Northern and Eastern high-speed lines,’’ the SNCF stated.
It said that fires were deliberately set to damage installations.
Statement of French Transport Minister
Patrice Vergriete, French Transport Minister, said that “coordinated malicious acts” had targeted several of the country’s high-speed rail lines.
He said that this would have “very serious consequences” for rail traffic throughout the weekend.
The minister said that connections towards northern, eastern and northwestern France would be halved.
Security Arrangements
France has rolled out its biggest ever security operation to safeguard the Games and the Paris Olympics opening ceremony.
Officials had previously said that there is no direct threat to the Games.
The rail sabotage has definitely shocked people inside and outside France.
At the same time, the authorities had foiled two suspected attacks.
Over 45,000 police personnel,10,000 soldiers and 2,000 private security agents have been deployed.
Snipers will be on rooftops and drones keeping watch from the air.
Paris 2024 said it was working closely with the SNCF to assess the situation.
The Paris police chief said he was beefing up security yet further at the capital’s main stations.
Statement of French Sports Minister
Sports Minister Amelie Oudea-Castera condemned the vandalism.
“It’s completely appalling,” she told BFMTV.
She said, “To target the games is to target France.”
Passengers Put to Inconvenience
At the Garre de L’est, traveller Corinne Lecocq said her train to Strasbourg on the border with Germany had been cancelled.
As a result, Corine appeared hassled.
Corines said that she would take the slow line.
“I’m on holiday so it’s OK, even if it is irritating to be late,” she added
The Gare de L’Est (Station of the East) is currently the fifth-busiest of the six main railway stations in Paris before the Gare d’Austerlitz.
(With Inputs From Reuters)
