Eiffel Tower Shut After Staff Walkout Over Women’s Exclusion During BAPS Visit

Paris: The Eiffel Tower was closed on Monday after staff staged a walkout over the treatment of female employees during a visit by a delegation from BAPS (Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha).

The protest followed a visit on Saturday by around 100 BAPS delegates, who were in France for the inauguration of a major Hindu temple near Paris.

Employees alleged that female workers were moved away from their workstations and, in some instances, replaced by male colleagues as the delegation passed through the monument.

In a statement, staff condemned the instructions, saying female employees had been “sidelined, replaced, and rendered invisible based on their gender.”

Diane Davoine, a union representative, told French television that female employees had been asked to leave their posts during the visit.

SETE, the company that operates the Eiffel Tower, acknowledged that the delegation had requested arrangements to minimise interactions with women. The company said such conditions should not have been accepted, as they were inconsistent with its values and the principle of equality between men and women.

SETE president Ariel Weil told AFP that the practice was “clearly not acceptable” and reaffirmed the landmark’s commitment to equality and republican values.

BAPS Responds

BAPS, which consecrated its first major temple in France near Paris on Sunday, said it respected the concerns raised by Eiffel Tower staff and took them seriously.

The organisation said the visit was coordinated with Eiffel Tower authorities because of the size of the delegation and was scheduled at the start of normal opening hours to minimise disruption to other visitors.

Nous comprenons les préoccupations exprimées et les prenons très au sérieux.

Compte tenu de la taille de notre délégation, la visite a été organisée en coordination avec les équipes de la tour Eiffel, au début des horaires habituels d’ouverture, afin de limiter autant que… pic.twitter.com/gyiwzmh6Jv

— BAPS Mandir Swaminarayan Hindou de Paris (@BAPSParis) September 7, 2026

BAPS said that, to its knowledge, no one was denied access to the Eiffel Tower during the visit. However, it apologised to anyone who may have been “hurt or inconvenienced” by the situation and reiterated its commitment to mutual respect and service.

It is notable that the Swaminarayan sect, which was founded over 200 years ago by Sahajanand Swami, follows strict scriptural guidelines. Male sadhus of the sect follow these guidelines, outlined in the Shikshapatri and Vachanamrut, the foundational texts written by Sahajanand Swami, to maintain celibacy. These include not looking at, touching, speaking to, or being in the private company of women.

French Officials React

Paris Mayor Emmanuel Gregoire said an investigation would be launched into the incident, adding that the employees’ concerns were legitimate.

“I am aware of the anger expressed by the employees of the Eiffel Tower, and I want to tell them that their dissatisfaction is legitimate. It is unacceptable that such conditions could be tolerated. These are neither my values nor those that the Eiffel Tower should uphold, where everyone must be able to move around and act freely, without distinction between women and men.

It is urgent that the full facts behind this mobilisation be brought to light. Equality between women and men will never stop at the foot of our historic monuments, nor anywhere else in this city. It must apply everywhere, to everyone.

I will ensure this is upheld everywhere and without exception. An investigation will be launched as soon as possible,” Emmanuel said in a X post.

Je prends connaissance du mouvement de colère des salarié·es de la tour Eiffel et je veux leur dire que leur mécontentement est légitime.

Il n’est pas acceptable que de telles conditions puissent être tolérées. Ce ne sont ni mes valeurs, ni celles que doit porter la tour Eiffel,… https://t.co/3srttJpxPo

— Emmanuel Grégoire (@egregoire) September 7, 2026

French Leaders Condemn Incident

French Equality Minister Aurore Berge also criticised the reported arrangements, saying women in France should not be asked to “erase themselves” and that no religion or belief was above the laws of the Republic.

“In France, we do not ask women to step aside. No dogma, no religion is superior to the laws of the Republic,” Berge said.

Far-right presidential candidate Marine Le Pen and centrist politician Gabriel Attal also condemned the incident, stressing that women’s presence or role could not be dictated by religious or cultural beliefs.

National Assembly President Yaël Braun-Pivet also criticised the incident, saying she would not accept women being asked to step aside to accommodate the demands of foreign visitors. She stressed that welcoming visitors should not require France to compromise its values or the equal participation of women in public life.

The Eiffel Tower, which receives nearly seven million visitors annually, remained closed throughout Monday. A staff representative said it would reopen as normal on Tuesday. DeshGujarat