The Eiffel Tower was evacuated hours before the Olympic closing ceremony after a man was spotted climbing the iconic Parisian landmark.
The shirtless individual was seen scaling the 330-meter tower on Sunday afternoon, prompting a swift evacuation of the area. Footage shared on social media showed the man perched just above the Olympic rings, slightly higher than the first viewing deck, though it’s unclear where he began his climb.
Police quickly evacuated the base of the tower as a precaution and detained the climber before he could ascend any further, with shocked tourists observing from a distance.
Several visitors were reportedly locked on the second floor during the incident but were allowed to exit approximately 30 minutes later.
The closing ceremony is set for 9 PM local time (8 PM BST), with 30,000 police officers deployed throughout the French capital to ensure the smooth operation of the final day of the Games. Although the Eiffel Tower is an iconic symbol, it is not expected to play a role in the ceremony, as the event will take place at the Stade de France, where the baton will be passed to the United States as host of the 2028 Games.
Credit: Joe Sports
