PARIS (AP) — French police evacuated the area around the Eiffel Tower after a man was seen climbing the Parisian landmark hours before the explosion. Olympic Games closing ceremony on Sunday.
The shirtless man was spotted climbing the 330-metre-high tower in the afternoon. It is unclear where exactly he began his climb, but he was spotted just above the Olympic rings that adorn the second section of the monument, just above the first observation deck.
Police escorted visitors out of the area around 3 p.m. Some visitors who had been briefly locked on the second floor were allowed out about 30 minutes later.
The Eiffel Tower was the centerpiece of the opening ceremony, with Celine Dion serenading the city from one of its vantage points. The tower is not expected to be part of the closing ceremony, which was scheduled to begin at the Stade de France in the northern suburb of Saint-Denis at 9 p.m.
The incident came as the Olympic competition draws to a close and security services in Paris and beyond are now focusing their attention on safety. closing ceremony which will end the Games.
More than 30,000 police officers Police forces were deployed around Paris on Sunday. French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin said that around 3,000 police officers would be deployed around the Stade de France, and that 20,000 police officers and other security personnel in Paris and the Saint-Denis region would be deployed until late Sunday night to ensure security on the final day of the Olympics.
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AP Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/2024-paris-olympic-games
