On Friday evening, the Eiffel Tower in Paris was evacuated, and put in lockdown by authorities, as one of the employees mistook a safety drill for a real incident. Visitors posted pictures online of police cordoning off the entrance area.
Witnesses claim that police and military forces were “all over” the place.
France has been on high alert following the Bastille Day attack in Nice that killed at least 84 people. Last November, terrorists conducted coordinated attacks across Paris, leading to the deaths of at least 129 people.
“It was a safety exercise drill, the sort that is done dozens of times a week. One employee thought that it was a real threat and the Eiffel Tower was evacuated,” according to a source.
It was unclear how many people were told to evacuate as the tower’s management could not immediately be reached for a comment.
The incident came as French authorities announced the cancellation of two major events over security fears.
One of Europe’s biggest flea markets, in the northern French city of Lille, and the European road cycling championships, which were due to be held in Nice from 14 to 18 September, were both called off on Friday.
Many traditional and cultural festivities have been either downsized or cancelled altogether, with Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian saying the series of jihadist attacks in France put the country in a “war situation”.
(With inputs from PTI)
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