Eiffel Tower to reopen after row over removing women staff
The Eiffel Tower reopened following a staff walkout triggered by management's decision to sideline female employees during a visit by a religious delegation. The operating company, SETE, admitted the request to limit interactions with women should not have been accepted, while the delegation apologized for any inconvenience caused.
Why it matters
This incident highlights the tension between accommodating cultural or religious requests and maintaining workplace equality and non-discrimination standards.
The Eiffel Tower was set to reopen Tuesday (September 8, 2026) after staff walked out over the removal of women colleagues during a visit by a Hindu religious group which later apologised.
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".
It said the landmark was due to reopen on Tuesday (September 8, 2026) following a meeting the previous day between staff and management.
The Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS) spiritual movement apologised for "any pain or inconvenience caused" by the incident.
"To the best of our knowledge, at no point was anyone prevented access to the Eiffel Tower," the organisation wrote on X.
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