Eiffel Tower Staff Protest Treatment of Women

Female employees at the Eiffel Tower were reportedly asked to leave their workstations and step out of sight during a weekend visit by a Hindu religious delegation. The monument closed late on Monday as employees held a meeting over the incident, which also prompted an investigation by Paris authorities.

Union representative Diane Davoine said women had been asked to step away from their posts so that men could take their places as the delegation passed through. Tensions mounted over the weekend, prompting employees to meet with management to discuss the incident and ensure women were not treated this way again. Management apologized to staff.

Paris Mayor Emmanuel Gregoire said the employees’ anger was justified and called for the circumstances surrounding the incident to be established as quickly as possible. The episode also drew criticism from French politicians.

National Assembly President Yaël Braun-Pivet said she would not accept women being told to step aside to accommodate the demands of foreign visitors. She stressed that women are fully present in public life in France and that welcoming others does not mean abandoning the country’s values.

(Reuters, max)