Key facts
- Eiffel Tower chief Patrick Branco Ruivo will step down at the end of the year.
- Female staff were removed from their posts during a visit by the BAPS Hindu group.
- Staff union representative Diane Davoine said women felt "humiliated" by the incident.
- The Eiffel Tower closed on Monday as staff went on strike.
- The operating company stated the conditions imposed on female staff were not in line with its values.
- BAPS has temples globally and follows beliefs that strictly separate men and women.
The chief executive of the Eiffel Tower, Patrick Branco Ruivo, will step down at the end of the year following a controversy where female staff were removed to accommodate a visit by a Hindu religious group. An internal probe found "operational flaws and shortcomings" in the organization of the visit, leading to the "unacceptable" removal of women staff.
The incident occurred on Saturday when a delegation of around 100 people from the Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS) group visited the landmark. Staff union representative Diane Davoine stated that women were asked to leave their workplaces and felt "humiliated." In response, employees went on strike on Monday, leading to the closure of the tower.
Ariel Weil, president of the company running the Eiffel Tower and mayor of Paris Centre, described the incident as "totally shocking and unacceptable" and blamed managers for being "a bit overzealous" in complying with the request without considering its appropriateness. The Société d'Exploitation de la tour Eiffel (SETE) stated that the conditions imposed on female staff were not aligned with its values or the principles of equality.
BAPS, a Hindu movement originating in the 18th century, adheres to strict separation of men and women in its practices. The group has temples worldwide and emphasizes universal values of mutual respect. However, critics argue that some of its 18th-century beliefs are discriminatory in a modern context.
Politicians across the French political spectrum condemned the incident. Yaël Braun-Pivet, president of France's National Assembly, stated her refusal to allow women to be sidelined for foreign visitors' demands. Hard-right leader Marine Le Pen echoed this sentiment, asserting that women's presence would never be limited in France. Former Prime Minister Gabriel Attal also commented, emphasizing that no culture or belief should dictate women's place in France.