The iconic Eiffel Tower was closed to visitors on Monday after employees went on strike over the treatment of female workers during a recent visit by a Hindu religious delegation, triggering a political controversy in France over gender equality and religious sensitivities.
The protest followed allegations that female employees were instructed to step away from certain positions during the delegation’s visit and were, in some instances, replaced by male colleagues. Workers condemned the arrangements, saying they amounted to making women “invisible” because of their gender.
The delegation visited the Eiffel Tower on the same day as a cultural boat procession on the Seine organised by the Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS), a Hindu spiritual organisation.
In a statement, Eiffel Tower employees criticised what they described as “professional instructions” that resulted in female staff members being sidelined during the delegation’s reception.
According to the workers, both Eiffel Tower employees and staff working for contractors were told to avoid certain areas while the delegation was present. Some women were reportedly asked to leave their regular posts, while male colleagues took over their positions.
The employees said they were also instructed not to cross or pass through particular areas during the visit.
The allegations prompted concerns among staff that workplace decisions had effectively discriminated against women on the basis of their sex.
The company operating the Eiffel Tower, Société d’Exploitation de la Tour Eiffel (SETE), acknowledged that the visiting Hindu delegation had requested arrangements aimed at limiting interactions with women.
SETE said such conditions should never have been accepted, stressing that they were incompatible with the organisation's principles and its commitment to equality between men and women.
SETE president Ariel Weil described the arrangement as unacceptable and reaffirmed the landmark's commitment to the values of the French Republic.
“We reaffirm the Eiffel Tower’s commitment to republican values and to the equality of men and women,” Weil said.
The management also indicated that it would accept responsibility for the consequences of the incident.
The controversy quickly spread beyond the Eiffel Tower, with politicians from different sides of France’s political spectrum criticising the decision.
Paris Socialist mayor Emmanuel Gregoire called the arrangement unacceptable and said an investigation would be launched into the circumstances surrounding the visit.
French Equality Minister Aurore Berge also condemned the incident on social media, arguing that women should not be asked to withdraw from public or professional spaces because of religious beliefs.
Far-right presidential candidate Marine Le Pen similarly criticised the episode, saying France would not accept restrictions being placed on women's presence.
Centrist politician Gabriel Attal also joined the criticism, stressing that no religion, belief or culture should determine what role women are allowed to play in France.
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