British man who climbed the Eiffel Tower before Olympics closing show released by police
French prosecutors say they are investigating a British man who climbed the Eiffel Tower on the last day of the Paris Olympics
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.A British man, who was seen climbing the Eiffel Tower on the last day of the Paris Olympics, has been released from police custody, but remains under investigation for trespassing at a historical site, French prosecutors said on Monday.
Police evacuated the area around the Eiffel Tower on Sunday afternoon after a shirtless man was seen scaling the 330-meter (1,083-foot) tall landmark hours before closing ceremony of the 2024 Summer Games.
It’s unclear where he began his ascent, but he was spotted above the Olympic rings adorning the second section of the monument, just above the first viewing deck. Police intervened and arrested the man.
Prosecutors opened an investigation on charges of “endangering the lives of other people and trespassing at a historical or cultural site,” according to a statement from the Paris public prosecutor’s office. The police custody order for the suspect was lifted on Monday, the also statement said. It did not name the man, but said he is a British national.
The Eiffel Tower was the centerpiece of the lavish opening ceremony on the River Seine, with Celine Dion serenading the city from one of its viewing areas. It featured prominently during the two and a half extraordinary weeks of Olympic competition, but was not part of the closing ceremony, which was staged at Stade de France stadium in the northern suburb of Saint-Denis.
More than 30,000 police officers and other security personnel were deployed around Paris on Sunday to ensure safety on the last day of the Olympics and the star-studdedfinal show in France’s national stadium.