A Hindu delegation visited the Eiffel Tower during a cultural boat procession on September 7, 2026, and requested that female employees make themselves invisible or leave their posts. According to staff statements, female employees were instructed to limit interactions with women, replace male colleagues, or withdraw from certain areas while the delegation was present. The Eiffel Tower management acknowledged this was unacceptable and promised to accept consequences, with French officials launching an investigation into the incident. Nearly 7 million people visit the Eiffel Tower annually, making it one of Paris' most popular landmarks.
Written by the local model on 2026-09-08,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
On September 7, 2026, the Eiffel Tower was closed due to a strike by staff who protested the removal of female colleagues during a visit by a Hindu delegation from the BAPS spiritual movement. The delegation had requested that interactions with women be limited, and as a result, some female employees were asked to leave their posts or withdraw to other areas, while others were replaced by men. According to Eiffel Tower staff, they were given instructions to "make themselves invisible" in order to welcome the delegation. This incident sparked outrage among French officials, including Equality Minister Aurore Berge, who stated that "in France, we do not ask women to erase themselves." The operating company SETE acknowledged that the conditions requested by the Hindu delegation should not have been accepted, and the BAPS movement apologized for any pain or inconvenience caused.
Written for “Eiffel Tower Staff Dispute” on 2026-09-08,
grounded in this article and the 1 other(s) covering the same event.
Why this leaning score
The article's own words the score was based on. Each is quoted
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stored, so you can find it in the original.
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the staff said in their statement, adding they were shocked to have been put in such a situation. "Some were asked to leave their posts and withdraw to other areas. In some posts, they were replaced by men. And all female employees were instructed not to go through or cross certain areas while the delegation was present."
left the article reports that staff were 'shocked' and that the instructions were 'not in line with SETE's values'
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The conditions "were not in line with SETE's values, nor with the principles of equality between men and women," the company said, promising to accept the "consequences".
left the article reports that the conditions were 'not in line with' the company's values
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It is clearly not an acceptable practice,
left the SETE president says it's 'clearly not an acceptable practice'
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In France, we do not ask women to erase themselves. No dogma, no religion is above the laws of the Republic,
left French Equality Minister Aurore Berge says that in France, 'no dogma, no religion is above the laws of the Republic'
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Far-right presidential candidate Marine Le Pen also criticised the incident, saying France would "never accept that women's presence be 'limited'".
left Marine Le Pen says France will 'never accept' limiting women's presence
Leaning score -0.70 for article 7038 (high confidence, 5 verified quotes) · logged 2026-09-08
The Eiffel Tower was closed on Monday (September 7, 2026) because of a strike by staff over the removal of female colleagues during a visit by a Hindu religious group, workers and management said.
asserted
workers → close → group
The visit came on the same day as a cultural boat procession on the Seine organised by the Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS) spiritual movement.
asserted
visit → come → movement
In a statement, Eiffel Tower staff condemned "professional instructions that led to female employees being sidelined, replaced and made invisible because of their sex" during the visit by the delegation.
asserted
employees → condemn → delegation
"Instructions were given to female employees of the Eiffel Tower and to female employees of contractors to make themselves invisible in order to welcome this delegation," the staff said in their statement, adding they were shocked to have been put in such a situation.
"
asserted
they → give → situation
Some were asked to leave their posts and withdraw to other areas.
asserted
Some → ask → areas
In some posts, they were replaced by men.
asserted
they → replace → men
And all female employees were instructed not to go through or cross certain areas while the delegation was present."
asserted
delegation → instruct → areas
The operating company that runs the Paris landmark, SETE, acknowledged that the Hindu delegation had requested the visit be organised so as to limit "interactions with women" and said that "these conditions should not have been accepted".
asserted
conditions → operate → women
The conditions "were not in line with SETE's values, nor with the principles of equality between men and women," the company said, promising to accept the "consequences".
asserted
company → say → consequences
"It is clearly not an acceptable practice," SETE president Ariel Weil, who is also a socialist elected official in Paris, told AFP.
asserted
who → elect → AFP
"I restate the Eiffel Tower's commitment to republican values and to the equality of men and women."
asserted
I → restate → men
The French capital's socialist Mayor, Emmanuel Gregoire, said on X that it was "unacceptable" that the Tower management agreed to the delegation's conditions, and said an investigation would be launched.
BJP ties
The Tower, which receives nearly seven million visitors a year according to its website, was closed all day on Monday (September 7, 2026), but will open as normal on Tuesday (September 8, 2026) according to a staff representative.
BAPS, which is close to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), consecrated its first major temple in France on Sunday (September 6, 2026), near Paris.
French Equality Minister Aurore Berge reacted angrily on X.
"In France, we do not ask women to erase themselves.
uncertain
we → say → themselves
No dogma, no religion is above the laws of the Republic," she wrote.
asserted
she → write → Republic
Far-right presidential candidate Marine Le Pen also criticised the incident, saying France would "never accept that women's presence be 'limited'".
asserted
presence → criticise → incident
Gabriel Attal, a centrist rival to become President, said that "in France, no culture, no belief, no religion, nothing and no one can come and dictate to women what their place should be".
asserted
place → become → women
BAPS denies claims
The BAPS denied the claim that they asked the organisers to “limit their interaction with women” on Tuesday (September 8, 2026).
uncertain
they → deny → Tuesday
“To our knowledge, at no time was access to the Eiffel Tower denied to anyone,” the group posted on X.
asserted
group → deny → X.
“Nevertheless, we wish to offer our sincere apologies to anyone who may have been hurt or inconvenienced by this situation.
uncertain
who → wish → situation
