Chicago – July 26, 2024
Arsonists attacked France’s high-speed rail network early Friday, causing significant disruptions for around 800,000 people travelling to Paris, including athletes heading to the Olympic Games opening ceremony. Fires were set in remote locations, targeting pipes with critical signalling cables for the TGV system.
Despite the damage, Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo assured that the ceremony, featuring 7,000 Olympic athletes sailing down the Seine past landmarks like Notre Dame Cathedral and the Louvre Museum, would proceed as planned.
Fires were reported on three separate lines before dawn, leading to significant delays. An additional arson attempt in Vergigny, in the south, was thwarted by rail agents who scared off the suspects. French authorities have not commented on who might be responsible or the motive behind the attacks, and there is no indication that the sabotage was directly related to the Olympic Games.
