In France, a few hours before the opening ceremony of the 2024 Olympic Games, there was a large-scale disruption of high-speed train traffic. In particular, the movement of trains on the Atlantic, Northern and Eastern lines connecting Paris with cities such as Lille, Bordeaux and Strasbourg has been severely hampered. In addition, trains between France and Belgium and Great Britain are delayed. Stations "Montparnasse" and "Paris-North" — two of the largest in Paris — are paralyzed.
This is reported by the Associated Press and France24.
French authorities have announced a coordinated act of sabotage, namely attacks on the French high-speed rail network.
"Early in the morning today, sabotage was prepared and carried out in a coordinated manner at the facilities of [the state railway operator] SNCF. The implications for the rail network are far-reaching and serious. I am sincerely grateful to our firefighters who are working at the affected facilities, as well as SNCF agents who are doing everything necessary to restore the network," said French Prime Minister Gabriel Attal.
He added that the French special services and law enforcement agencies are already mobilized to find and punish those responsible for these criminal acts.
The prosecutorʼs office in Paris has started an investigation into the fact of arson on the French high-speed rail network. They note that for the commission of this crime, the guilty face up to 15 years in prison and a fine of €225,000.
In addition, law enforcement officers add that crimes related to "organized humiliation and attempted humiliation by dangerous means" can be punished by 20 years in prison and a fine of €150,000.
Senior French officials called the attacks on Franceʼs high-speed rail network "criminal acts" and said they were investigating whether they were directly linked to the Olympics. At the same time, there are no reports of casualties due to arson.
Disruptions in the work of railways affected about 800,000 travelers. Delays are expected to last at least through the weekend, and possibly longer, French officials say.
French Transport Minister Patrice Vergriete said railway workers spotted people fleeing the scene of the fire and later found incendiary devices there.
"Everything points to the fact that these were criminal arsons," he noted.
Later, he reported that railway traffic is slowly being restored.
- The 2024 Olympic Games will start today, July 26, in Paris and will last until August 11. Against the background of terrorist attacks and the general security situation in the world, the French authorities have been working hard since March to ensure that the Summer Olympics in Paris will be held safely for everyone. France has asked some 45 countries to provide several thousand additional military, police and civilian personnel to bolster security during the Olympics.