French police evacuated the area surrounding the Eiffel Tower on Sunday after a man was spotted climbing the iconic Paris landmark just hours before the Olympic Games closing ceremony.
The man, who was shirtless, was seen scaling the 330-meter (1,083-foot) tall tower in the afternoon. His starting point remains unclear, but he was observed climbing above the Olympic rings, which are displayed on the second section of the monument, just above the first viewing deck.
Around 3 p.m., police began clearing visitors from the area. Some individuals who were temporarily confined on the second floor were allowed to leave about 30 minutes later.
“A person began climbing the Eiffel Tower at 2:45 p.m., police intervened, and the individual was detained,” a Paris police official told media on condition of anonymity due to the ongoing investigation.
The Eiffel Tower, which featured prominently in the Olympics opening ceremony with Celine Dion performing from one of its viewing platforms, was not scheduled to be part of the closing ceremony. The final event was set to take place at the Stade de France in the northern suburb of Saint-Denis at 9 p.m.
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As the Olympic events near their conclusion, security efforts in Paris and surrounding areas are intensifying in preparation for the closing ceremony. Over 30,000 police officers have been deployed across the city on Sunday. France’s Interior Minister, Gerald Darmanin, announced that approximately 3,000 officers will be stationed around the Stade de France, with an additional 20,000 police and security personnel active in Paris and Saint-Denis late into the night to ensure safety during the final day of the Olympics.
