The Eiffel Tower in Paris, France, was temporarily closed after staff protested over an incident where a female employee was ordered to leave the area during a visit by a Hindu religious delegation. Management acknowledged that this should not have happened.
On 8 September 2026, the Eiffel Tower, a landmark in Paris, France, was temporarily closed after staff gathered to protest the order for a female employee to leave her work area during a visit by a Hindu religious delegation over the past weekend. This sparked criticism regarding gender equality and led to an investigation by Paris authorities.
The incident occurred last Saturday when about 100 representatives associated with the Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS), a Hindu organization with temples in several countries, visited the Eiffel Tower privately.
Diane Dauvan, a union representative, revealed that during the delegation's visit, female staff were ordered to leave their workstations to make way for male staff. Some were asked to move to back areas, and female employees were instructed not to pass through certain sections while the delegation was inside the building. She said the incident caused great dissatisfaction and humiliation among female employees, and management later apologized to the staff.
She added that tensions increased throughout the weekend until staff held a meeting on Monday to begin negotiations with management, demanding assurances that no such treatment of women would happen again.
Meanwhile, the company managing the Eiffel Tower admitted that the delegation requested to limit interaction with women during the visit and stated that such a condition should not have been accepted, as it contradicts the company’s values and principles of gender equality.
At the same time, Ariel Weil, chairman of the managing company, said such behavior is unacceptable and reaffirmed the Eiffel Tower’s commitment to uphold the values of the French Republic, including gender equality.
The Hindu group issued a statement saying the visit was arranged with the Eiffel Tower staff during normal opening hours to avoid disruption or inconvenience to other visitors. They apologized for any pain or inconvenience caused and emphasized their commitment to universal values of mutual respect and service.
. Source: FreshNres