Just hours before the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics, France was rocked by a series of arson attacks on its rail network on Friday, stoking fears over security during the Games.
No one was killed or reported injured, but the damage to France’s high-speed train lines caused major delays as thousands of local and international travelers were expected to converge on Paris for the ceremony and the Games. The arson attacks, which authorities have described as “criminal,” come amid heightened security concerns, when France is the center of a global spectacle.
Here’s what we know about the attacks and the resulting disruptions:
Is this a terrorist attack?
That is not clear yet, but France’s prime minister, Gabriel Attal, has described the fires as “acts of sabotage that were carried out in a prepared and coordinated way.” The police and intelligence services are investigating these “criminal acts,” he added in a post on social media.
Arson Attack on France’s Rail Network: What We Know
- Advertisment - 