Eiffel Tower shut by staff protest after women moved for religious visit

What the report says

The Eiffel Tower in Paris was closed on Monday after staff staged a strike over a weekend visit linked to a Hindu religious group, according to BBC World News. Workers and management said the dispute followed the arrival of about 100 people associated with the Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha, or BAPS, when female employees were reportedly asked to move from their positions so men could be placed there instead.

A union representative said workers felt humiliated and pushed for talks with management and assurances that women would not be treated that way again. The company that operates the tower, Société d'Exploitation de la tour Eiffel, said the visit had been arranged with conditions that should not have been accepted and were not consistent with its values or with gender equality principles.

Paris Mayor Emmanuel Grégoire said an investigation would be launched into the incident and expressed support for staff concerns. Other French political figures also criticized the episode. BAPS said its visit had been organized with the tower team to avoid disruption and apologized for any pain or inconvenience caused. The case has drawn wider attention in France because it touches on workplace equality, religious accommodation and the treatment of women at one of the country’s most recognisable landmarks.