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Hours before the closing ceremony of the Olympics, authorities evacuated the Eiffel Tower after a man attempted to scale the 1,083-foot-tall structure that afternoon.
The shirtless man was spotted above the Olympic rings, which are located in the second section of the monument, just above the first viewing platform
Police escorted tourists out of the area around 3 p.m. Some tourists who were briefly locked on the second floor were allowed to leave after about 30 minutes. Photos shared on Twitter showed the man climbing up the side of the tower wearing only a pair of black shorts and shoes and without any climbing equipment.
The Eiffel Tower was a focal point of the opening ceremony, with Celine Dion singing for the city from one of its observation decks. It is not expected to appear at the closing ceremony, which is scheduled for 9 p.m. at the Stade de France in the northern suburb of Saint-Denis.
The incident occurred as the Olympic Games were drawing to a close, with security services in Paris and elsewhere turning their attention to the closing ceremony that will kick off the Games.
Social media posts showed a man who looked like an Eiffel Tower climber being led away from the landmark in handcuffs by police. The man, who appeared to be British based on his accent, was heard saying “it’s hot” as he was led away in the video.
Specialist police climbers could be seen on social media before the man was escorted away.
French Interior Minister Gerard Darmanin announced ahead of the event that 23,000 police officers would be deployed in the French capital tonight. At least 3,000 additional officers will be stationed around the Stade de France, where the ceremony will take place.
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