A series of coordinated, malicious arson attacks on France’s rail network has stranded hundreds of thousands of passengers and endangered transport to and from the city. Paris came to a standstill during the night, just hours before the 2024 Olympic Games would start.
SNCF CEO Jean-Pierre Farandou, head of France’s national state-owned railway company, said in a news conference Friday that fiber optic cables connecting signal boxes and other rail infrastructure had been torn apart and set on fire. It is still unclear who is behind the attacks, but French intelligence services are “fully mobilized” to find out who is responsible, it said. CNN.
According to an intelligence source, similar methods have been used by far-left activists in the past, but there is “no evidence that today’s actions can be linked to them.”
The Atlantic, Northern and Eastern high-speed lines were hit by the attacks, causing damage to several facilities. A planned attack on the South East line, meanwhile, was thwarted by authorities. At least 250,000 passengers were affected on Friday, with around 800,000 expected to be affected through the weekend as crews carry out repairs.
“Following this massive attack, which aimed to paralyse the high-speed network, a large number of trains were diverted or cancelled,” the company said. said in a statement. “Affected passengers will be contacted by email or text message. We ask all passengers who can to postpone their journey and not to go to the station. All tickets for these disrupted journeys are exchangeable and refundable.”
French Prime Minister Gabriel Attal called the consequences for the rail network “enormous and serious” in a statement. message on social media on Friday, warning that “intelligence agencies and law enforcement are being mobilized to find and punish the perpetrators of these criminal acts.”
Paris prosecutors have filed four separate criminal charges in an investigation into the attacks, involving damage to state property and coordination of organized crime. Those found responsible could face up to 20 years in prison and a $325,000 fine. Attal said Friday afternoon he was not aware of any arrests.
The opening ceremony for the 2024 Olympic Games will take place today at 1:30 p.m. Eastern time. Athletes will parade along the River Seine through the city center. The ceremony will still take place as planned, although some spectators and athletes may not be able to attend.
