Eiffel Tower Strike Erupts Over Gender Equality Dispute

The Eiffel Tower was closed on Monday after its staff went on strike over allegations that women were asked to move out of sight during a visit by a Hindu delegation. The reported incident occurred as France inaugurated its first major Hindu temple, an event connected to the BAPS Hindu movement. Approximately 100 members of the organization were part of the delegation visiting the landmark. The dispute centers on claims that women were removed from public view or instructed to step aside during the group’s visit. The alleged treatment prompted Eiffel Tower employees to take industrial action, resulting in the temporary closure of one of France’s most prominent tourist attractions. The incident has raised concerns about gender equity, religiously influenced segregation, and the conduct of official or high-profile visits at public institutions. The report presents the staff’s allegations but does not provide further details about who issued the request, whether the women were visitors, staff members, or members of the delegation, or whether representatives of the BAPS Hindu movement responded. It also does not specify how long the closure lasted or whether the dispute affected the broader Hindu temple inauguration. The article frames the event as a clash between workplace protest and a controversial claim about the treatment of women during a religious group’s visit. Its focus is on the closure, the staff strike, and the circumstances surrounding the delegation’s presence in France. The report was published on 8 September 2026.

The Eiffel Tower was closed on Monday after employees went on strike over allegations that female workers were moved from their positions during a private visit by about 100 people associated with the Hindu organization Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS). The delegation visited the Paris landmark on Saturday, shortly before BAPS opened its first major temple in France. Diane Davoine, a representative of the CGT union, said women were asked to leave their workplaces so that men could take their positions. She said management later apologised, but the incident humiliated female employees and caused tensions to rise. Workers called a meeting to open discussions with management and ensure that women would never again be treated in this way. The Eiffel Tower’s operator, Société d’Exploitation de la tour Eiffel (SETE), confirmed that the delegation had requested arrangements limiting interaction with women. SETE said accepting those conditions was wrong and inconsistent with the company’s values and the principle of equality between men and women. Its president, Ariel Weil, reiterated the monument’s commitment to France’s republican values and gender equality. BAPS said the visit had been arranged with the Eiffel Tower team at the start of normal opening hours to avoid disrupting other visitors. The organization apologised for any pain or inconvenience caused and said it supported mutual respect and service. Paris officials and prominent French politicians condemned the reported treatment of female workers. Mayor Emmanuel Grégoire ordered an investigation and said the employees’ anger was legitimate. Marine Le Pen, Gabriel Attal and National Assembly President Yaël Braun-Pivet each stressed that women must not be forced to step aside because of the demands or beliefs of visitors. The BBC said it had contacted the CGT for comment.

The Eiffel Tower in Paris was closed for the day after employees went on strike to protest the exclusion of female staff during a private visit by members of the Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS), a Hindu spiritual movement. Around 100 men from the group visited the landmark, and the tower’s operator, Société d’Exploitation de la Tour Eiffel (SETE), acknowledged that the group had requested arrangements limiting interactions with women. Staff condemned the professional instructions that resulted in female employees being sidelined, replaced, and made “invisible because of their sex.” Visitors were told that the tower’s opening was delayed for “operational reasons,” although the site ultimately remained closed throughout Monday because of the strike. Emmanuel Gregoire, Paris’s Socialist mayor, described the incident as “unacceptable,” emphasizing that equality between women and men must apply at the city’s historic monuments and throughout Paris. SETE admitted that agreeing to the requested conditions was a mistake and said the arrangements should not have been accepted. Ariel Weil, the company’s head and an elected Paris official, said the organization would draw the necessary conclusions. He also stated that no religious motive could justify gender-based distinctions or any other discriminatory treatment of visitors. The Eiffel Tower attracts approximately seven million visitors each year. A staff representative said the landmark would reopen on Tuesday. The incident has prompted criticism from workers, city officials, and the tower operator over the balance between accommodating religious groups and upholding nondiscrimination and gender-equality principles in a public institution.