Get updates delivered to you daily. Free and customizable.
New York Post
France’s high-speed rail network paralyzed by ‘coordinated’ arson attacks hours before start of Olympics
By Olivia Land,
2024-07-26
Arsonists sabotaged France’s high-speed rail network in a series of coordinated attacks just hours before the Olympics opening ceremony Friday — with athletes among hundreds of thousands left stranded.
Cables were set alight at least three locations at 4 a.m., paralyzing major lines connecting Paris with Lille, Bordeaux and Strasbourg, with a fourth attack on the Paris-Marseille line foiled by night-shift workers.
It ruined travel for at least 250,000 passengers Friday — including those coming from other parts of Europe, such as from the UK on the Eurostar.
Passengers wait for their train departures at the Gare Montparnasse train station in Paris on July 26, 2024. AFP via Getty Images SNCF employees and French gendarmes inspect the scene of a suspected attack on the high-speed railway network at Croiselles, northern France. AFP via Getty Images Passengers sit on stairs inside a Paris train station after the high-speed rail network was “paralyzed.” AFP via Getty Images
French Prime Minister Gabriel Attal said France’s intelligence services have been mobilized to find the perpetrators of the “acts of sabotage” which he described as “prepared and coordinated.”
They had “a clear objective: blocking the high-speed train network” ahead of the Olympics opening ceremony, Attal said,
“Playing against the Games is playing against France, against your own camp, against your country,” Sports Minister Amélie Oudéa-Castera said of the attacks.
Nobody took immediate responsibility. However, the modus operandi suggested it was leftist militants or radical eco-warriors, security sources said.
France’s acting transport minister, Patrice Vergriete, condemned the “outrageous criminal act” — while acknowledging security forces are “preparing themselves” for other potential attacks.
“We had no specific alert before these planned acts of malice and sabotage,” Vergriete told French TV.
“Today we are on alert, so obviously we have mobilized all security forces, as well as drones, so today we have greatly increased our vigilance.”
The attack occurred against a backdrop of global tensions and heightened security measures as the city prepared for the 2024 Olympic Games. AFP via Getty Images
The incidents paralyzed several high-speed lines linking Paris to the rest of France and to neighboring countries. AFP via Getty Images SNCF employees and French gendarmes inspect the scene of a suspected attack on the high-speed railway network at Croiselles, northern France, on July 26, 2024. AFP via Getty Images National police said authorities were investigating the incidents. French media reported a major fire on a busy western route. AFP via Getty Images
The travel disruptions are expected to last “at least all weekend,” warned France’s national rail company, SNCF – likely preventing some athletes from reaching Paris in time for the start of the Olympics.
Among the trains stopped Friday were some taking athletes to the opening ceremony, which is scheduled to see 7,000 competitors setting sail down the River Seine late Friday.
Two German showjumpers, Philipp Weishaupt and Christian Kukuk, were on a train to Paris that was then turned back in Belgium because of the closures, German news agency dpa reported.
Some of the millions of spectators heading to the global event were also thwarted.
“It’s a hell of a way to start the Olympics,” said Sarah Moseley, 42, as she learned that her train from the Gare du Nord – one of Europe’s busiest stations – to London was an hour late.
All eyes were on the central message boards as most services to northern France, Belgium and the United Kingdom were delayed. AFP via Getty Images The Paris police prefecture “concentrated its personnel in Parisian train stations” after the “massive attack” that paralyzed the TGV high-speed network. AP Soldiers patrol outside Gare du Nord train station on July 26, 2024. AP Sports Minister Amélie Oudéa-Castera said authorities were working to “evaluate the impact on travelers, athletes, and ensure the transport of all delegations to the competition sites” for the Olympics. AFP via Getty Images
“They should have more information for tourists, especially if it’s a malicious attack,” said Corey Grainger, a 37-year-old Australian sales manager on his way to London, as he rested on his two suitcases in the middle of the station.
A handful of events – including soccer – kicked off with matches elsewhere in the country that ran until late Thursday, leaving the athletes scrambling for a way back to the City of Light, the outlet noted.
The possible charges for the arsonists include damage to property likely to harm the fundamental interest of the nation, which can carry a sentence of up to 15 years behind bars and a fine of around $244,200, the Paris public prosecutor’s office said.
With Post wires
For top headlines, breaking news and more, visit nypost.com.
Get updates delivered to you daily. Free and customizable.
It’s essential to note our commitment to transparency:
Our Terms of Use acknowledge that our services may not always be error-free, and our Community Standards emphasize our discretion in enforcing policies. As a platform hosting over 100,000 pieces of content published daily, we cannot pre-vet content, but we strive to foster a dynamic environment for free expression and robust discourse through safety guardrails of human and AI moderation.
Most Popular
Comments / 0