An unidentified man decided to scale the iconic landmark
French authorities evacuated the area surrounding the Eiffel Tower after a man was seen climbing the iconic landmark just hours before the Olympics closing ceremony.
The shirtless man was seen scaling the 1,083ft tower on Sunday afternoon (11 August).
At this stage it remains unclear where he began his ambitious ascent, but he was spotted just above the Olympic rings adorning the second section of the monument, just above the first viewing deck.
After that, police escorted tourists and locals away from the area at approximately 3pm local time,
Meanwhile, some who were briefly locked on the second floor were allowed to leave around 30 minutes later.
The closing ceremony is set to begin at the Stade de France, well away from the Eiffel Tower, at around 9pm.
More than 30,000 police officers have been deployed around Paris and the wider region for today’s closing ceremony and final events where medals are still up for grabs.
France’s interior minister, Gerald Darmanin, said about 3,000 police officers will be mobilised around the Stade de France.
While Darmanin commented that 20,000 police troops and other security personnel in Paris and the Saint-Denis area will be mobilised late into Sunday night to ensure safety on the final day of the 2024 Olympics.
More to follow.
