PARIS — France’s most iconic landmark, the Eiffel Tower, was forced to close its doors to visitors after staff staged a walkout to protest the alleged exclusion and sidelining of female employees during a private visit by a religious delegation.

The incident occurred during a weekend visit by roughly 100 individuals associated with the Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS) group, which recently inaugurated its first major Hindu temple in the Paris suburbs.

Union representatives and staff members reported that during the group's walk-through, female workers were instructed to move away from their designated workstations and step aside. In several instances, male colleagues were brought in to temporarily replace them. Additionally, female staff were allegedly instructed to avoid crossing paths or walking through specific areas where the delegation was present.

Diane Davoine, a trade union representative speaking on behalf of the employees, condemned the operational directives. She noted that the female workers felt deeply humiliated after being asked to leave their posts so male staff could take over.

"Tensions mounted over the weekend, leading employees to gather for a dialogue with management and ensure that women are never subjected to such treatment again," Davoine said, confirming that the walkout was organized to demand accountability and uphold workplace dignity.

The Eiffel Tower’s operating firm, Société d’Exploitation de la Tour Eiffel (SETE), acknowledged that the visiting delegation had asked for measures to limit interactions with female staff. SETE expressed regret over accommodating the demand, stating that accepting such terms was unacceptable and directly contradicted the landmark’s commitment to gender equality and republican values. SETE President Ariel Weil confirmed that a formal internal investigation has been launched to clarify the sequence of events and determine accountability.

The political fallout in France was swift, with high-ranking officials condemning the incident. Yaël Braun-Pivet, President of the French National Assembly, publicly criticized the event, asserting that welcoming international guests should never come at the expense of core French values or gender equality. Paris municipal authorities have also ordered a thorough inquiry into how such directives were permitted on site.

In response to the growing controversy, the BAPS Hindu temple in Paris issued an official statement extending its sincere apologies for any hurt or inconvenience caused. The organization explained that the visit had been arranged in advance with Eiffel Tower management to manage the large group size and minimize disruption to other visitors. BAPS added that it takes the concerns raised very seriously and reiterated its commitment to universal values of mutual respect.