Why Was Eiffel Tower Evacuated Hours Before Olympics Closing Ceremony?

New Delhi: Authorities evacuated the iconic Eiffel Tower mere hours before the Olympics closing ceremony when a man was seen climbing the Paris landmark.

The shirtless man was scaling the 1,083-foot structure in the afternoon and was spotted just above the Olympic rings adorning the second section of the monument, just above the first viewing deck, The Indian Express reported.

The Eiffel Tower was a centrepiece of the opening ceremony, with Celine Dion serenading the city from one of its viewing areas. It will, however, not be part of the closing ceremony with the event set to take place at Stade de France.

More than 30,000 police officers have been deployed around Paris and beyond to watch over the last Olympic events and the closing ceremony today.

France’s Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin said about 3,000 police officers will be mobilised around the Stade de France, and 20,000 police troops and other security personnel in Paris and the Saint-Denis area will be mobilised late into Sunday night to ensure safety on the last day of the Olympics, according to the report.

The closing ceremony of the Olympics will take place from 12:30 AM IST (9 PM local time). Stars like Billie Eilish, Snoop Dogg and Red Hot Chili Peppers are all set to perform. The all-star lineup will hit the stage as part of the handover to the 2028 Los Angeles Games. Each of the music artists is a California native, including H.E.R., who is expected to sing the U.S. national anthem live at the Stade de France.

“This is the biggest moment in LA28 history to date, as the Olympic flag passes from Paris to LA,” said LA28 chairperson Casey Wasserman in a statement. “We are thrilled to feature the very best of LA with local artists and are grateful to Billie, H.E.R., the Chili Peppers and Snoop for their collaboration on what will be an incredible show to a global audience that will give fans a taste of what’s to come in 2028.”

Los Angeles will host the Olympics for the third time, with previous Games being held there in 1984 and 1932. It will be the first time the city will host the Paralympics.