Full Breakdown
Eiffel Tower Staff Strike Over Female Employee Exclusion During BAPS Visit
9/9/2026, 10:22:59 AM
Core Event: Strike and Temporary Closure
On September 5, 2026, the Société d’Exploitation de la Tour Eiffel (SETE) allowed a private visit by about 100 members of the Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS). Union representatives said female staff were instructed to leave their workstations, be replaced by male colleagues, and avoid certain areas while the delegation passed. The next day, employees staged a walkout that shut the landmark for the entire day of September 7, 2026. After negotiations, the tower reopened on September 8, 2026.
Background & Context
BAPS was in France for the inauguration of its first major Hindu stone temple in the Paris suburbs, an event highlighted by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s virtual address. French law enshrines gender equality and secularism (laïcité) as constitutional principles, making any gender-based workplace directive a potential breach of republican values.
Timeline
- September 5 – BAPS delegation visits the Eiffel Tower.
- September 7 – Staff strike forces closure; signage reads “the opening of the Eiffel Tower is delayed for operational reasons.”
- September 8 – Tower reopens after a meeting between staff and management; Paris authorities announce an investigation.
Data & Statistics
- Approx. 100 delegates attended the BAPS visit.
- The Eiffel Tower receives roughly 7 million visitors annually, with up to 20 000 people per day.
- The strike halted access for all scheduled visitors on September 7.
Official Statements & Responses
SETE acknowledged that the delegation had requested the visit be organized to limit “interactions with women” and said the conditions “should not have been accepted,” describing them as inconsistent with the company’s values of gender equality and neutrality.
Ariel Weil, SETE president, called the practice “clearly not an acceptable practice” and announced an internal review to determine responsibility and prevent recurrence.
Criticism & Opposition
Prominent French politicians condemned the reported instructions. Marine Le Pen (National Rally) declared, “In France, we will never accept that the presence of women be ‘limited.’”
Verbatim Quotes
- “As the delegation passed through, women were asked to leave their workstations so that men could take their places,” — Diane Davoine, union representative
- “It is urgent that all light be shed on the facts that led to this protest,” — Emmanuel Grégoire, Paris mayor
- “No motive of a religious order could justify a distinction based on gender or any other discriminatory consideration in welcoming the public,” — Ariel Weil, SETE president
- “In France, we do not ask women to step aside. No dogma, no religion is superior to the laws of the Republic.” — Yaël Braun-Pivet, National Assembly president
What’s Next
Paris mayor Emmanuel Grégoire’s investigation is ongoing, with findings expected in the coming days. The episode has reignited debate over how cultural and religious events intersect with France’s secular, egalitarian framework.
