Full Breakdown
Eiffel Tower staff strike over female employees sidelined during BAPS visit
9/9/2026, 6:57:41 AM
Core Event: Strike and closure
On September 5 2026 a delegation of about 100 members of the Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS) made a private visit to the Eiffel Tower. Union representatives said female staff were instructed to leave their workstations, be replaced by men, or stay out of sight for the duration of the tour. The following Monday, September 7, employees walked out, shutting the landmark for the day. Management and staff met on September 8, and the tower reopened to the public.
Background & Context
BAPS is a global Hindu socio-spiritual organization founded in 1907 in Gujarat, India. Its monks observe strict celibacy and avoid physical contact with women, a practice reflected in the delegation’s request to limit “interactions with women.” The visit coincided with celebrations for the inauguration of a new BAPS temple in the Paris suburb of Bussy-Saint-Georges on September 6, an event addressed by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a video message.
Data & Statistics
- Delegation size: ? 100 participants.
- Eiffel Tower annual visitors: ? 7 million.
- Strike duration: 1 day (September 7).
- Reopening date: September 8.
Official Statements & Responses
SETE pledged a review of the procedures that led to the arrangement.
The organization apologized for any “pain or inconvenience caused.”
Paris mayor Emmanuel Grégoire announced an investigation into the incident, describing the employees’ anger as “legitimate” and urging a swift clarification of the facts.
SETE president Ariel Weil called the practice “clearly not an acceptable practice” and said the company would draw necessary conclusions.
Criticism & Opposition
Former president François Hollande and former prime minister Michel Barnier also denounced the episode, labeling the alleged order as “utterly unacceptable” and contrary to republican principles.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Union representatives, however, assert that the delegation explicitly demanded limited contact with women, prompting the staff instructions. No public record identifies which manager authorized the directives, and the investigation has yet to determine responsibility.
Verbatim Quotes
- “It is clearly not an acceptable practice.” — Ariel Weil, SETE president
- “Women were asked to leave their places of work in order to place men there,” — Sunday. Diane Davoine
- “As the delegation passed through, women were asked to leave their workstations so that men could take their places,” — Diane Davoine
- “In France, we do not ask women to step aside. No dogma, no religion is superior to the laws of the Republic.” — Yael Braun-Pivet, national assembly president
- “Equality between women and men will never end at the foot of our historic monuments, nor anywhere else in this city,” — Emmanuel Gregoire, paris mayor
These statements capture the perspectives of the monument’s operator, the union, the delegation’s impact, and French political leaders, illustrating the clash between religious accommodation requests and France’s legal commitment to gender equality.
