Wednesday, September 9, 2026 - The Eiffel Tower has reopened after a one-day staff protest triggered by a dispute over the treatment of female employees during a private visit by a Hindu religious delegation.

Workers said female staff were sidelined, removed from some posts or replaced by male colleagues during the visit by the Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS). The action forced the Paris landmark to close to visitors, bringing the controversy into the national spotlight.

The Eiffel Tower's operating company, SETE, acknowledged that conditions surrounding the delegation's visit should not have allowed female workers to be treated differently and said such arrangements were contrary to principles of gender equality.


Staff described the instructions as discriminatory and humiliating. BAPS denied that anyone was denied access and apologized for any distress caused by the incident. 


Paris authorities have launched an investigation, while political leaders have condemned the reported treatment of female workers. The controversy has intensified debate over equality in public workplaces and the responsibility of venue management when accommodating private religious groups.


With the Eiffel Tower now reopened, attention is turning to the investigation and to whether measures will be introduced to ensure that similar arrangements are not repeated.