French authorities have launched an investigation after a protest closed the Eiffel Tower on Monday. The iconic monument was shut as staffers held a meeting over the alleged removal of female colleagues during a visit by a Hindu religious group. The incident also came a day before BAPS consecrated its first major temple in France on Sunday. 

“The opening of the Eiffel Tower is delayed for operational reasons,” read a simple sign at the base of the monument. 

Political uproar

The incident has sparked outrage among staffers and drawn criticism from French politicians. Paris city authorities have also vowed to launch an investigation “as soon as possible” — with Mayor Emmanuel Gregoire adding that he was aware of the situation and agreed that the employees’ dissatisfaction was legitimate.

“Equality between women and men will never stop at the foot of our historical monuments, nor anywhere in this city. It must be applied everywhere, for everyone. I will ensure this, everywhere and without exception. An investigation will be launched as quickly as possible,” read an excerpt from his post.

 Gregoire added that it was “urgent” to shed “full light on the facts that led to this mobilisation”. 

“Welcoming others never means giving up our values. In France, women are fully present in public life. No one tells them to become invisible,” added an X post from Yael Braun-Pivet, the president of the National ‌ Assembly.

What are the allegations?

The allegations came over the weekend as a delegation of about 100 people linked to Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (or BAPS) made a private visit to the Eiffel Tower. Staffers and union representatives allege that female employees were asked to step out of sight and quietly ‘replaced’ with their male counterparts during the.

“As the delegation passed through, women were asked to leave their workstations so that men could take their places. Tensions mounted ⁠over the weekend, so this morning, the employees decided to meet: first, to open a dialogue with management, and second, to ensure ‌that women are never treated this way at the company again,” union representative Diane Davoine told Reuters.

Meanwhile BAPS said in a statement that their visit was arranged at the start of ‌ opening hours to avoid disrupting others due to the size of the delegation. Representatives said they were not aware that anyone had “prevented access to the Eiffel Tower” and issued an apology for any possible inconvenience.