Why was the Eiffel Tower shut down? Staff strike over alleged treatment of female workers

Paris authorities launch an investigation after staff protest claims women were moved during a private visit

The Eiffel Tower was shut to visitors in Paris on September 7 after employees protested over allegations that female staff members were asked to leave their workstations during a private visit by a Hindu religious delegation.

The dispute centres on a visit by around 100 people linked to the Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha, commonly known as BAPS, on September 5. The organisation was in France for events connected to the inauguration of a Hindu temple near Paris.

According to Diane Davoine, a union representative for Eiffel Tower employees, female workers were allegedly asked to leave their usual positions while male colleagues took their places as the delegation passed through the landmark. The claim quickly caused anger among staff and prompted an employee meeting on September 7.

The protest resulted in a delay to the Eiffel Tower's opening, with signs at the monument stating that the opening had been delayed for operational reasons. Reuters reported that workers wanted to address the incident with management and ensure that female employees would not be treated in the same way again.

Paris Mayor Emmanuel Grégoire said an investigation would be launched to establish exactly what happened. He acknowledged the anger among Eiffel Tower employees and said the facts behind the protest needed to be clarified.

The controversy has also drawn criticism from senior French political figures. National Assembly President Yaël Braun Pivet said welcoming visitors should not require France to compromise its values, while stressing that women are fully present in public life.

The Eiffel Tower's operating company, SETE, has faced scrutiny over the arrangements for the private visit. Reports said the delegation had requested conditions limiting interactions with female employees and that such conditions should not have been accepted. 

BAPS has rejected the suggestion that its visit was intended to exclude women. In a statement, the organisation said the visit had been arranged with the Eiffel Tower team at the start of normal opening hours to minimise disruption because of the size of the delegation. It also said that, to its knowledge, nobody had been prevented from accessing the monument and apologised for any pain or inconvenience caused.

The organisation further said the incident was never intended as a request rooted in gender and maintained that equality and mutual respect were central to its values.

The controversy comes as BAPS has held several events in France involving Hindu devotees. The organisation recently opened a new Hindu temple in the Paris area and has described itself as a spiritual and volunteer driven fellowship focused on faith, service and community work.