French Rail Lines Hit by ‘Coordinated Sabotage’ Before Paris Olympics Opening

France’s high-speed train network faced significant disruptions on Friday due to multiple “malicious” acts, including arson, which have been described as “an attack on France” and “coordinated sabotage” designed to impede travel just before the Paris Olympics opening ceremony.

The French state railway company SNCF termed the overnight disruptions a “massive attack aimed at paralyzing the high-speed line network.”

SNCF announced on social media that a “large number of trains were diverted or canceled” and advised travelers to postpone their trips if possible. The attacks affected the Atlantic, Northern, and Eastern high-speed lines, with several facilities damaged. One incident was thwarted in the east after SNCF agents scared off several individuals.

SNCF CEO Jean-Pierre Farandou revealed that cables critical for train driver security were set on fire and dismantled. He noted that authorities are still uncertain about who is responsible.

A French intelligence source told CNN that French intelligence services are “fully mobilized” to identify those responsible, noting that while such methods have been used by the far-left in the past, there is no evidence linking the current actions to them.

Travel on the affected lines is “very disrupted,” with around 250,000 travelers impacted on Friday alone and disruptions expected throughout the weekend, potentially affecting 800,000 passengers. Repair crews are working to restore services.

Passengers at Paris’ Gare du Nord station were seen waiting with their luggage as their travel plans were derailed. Francoise, an 80-year-old from La Rochelle, expressed her frustration, preparing to wait five more hours for a possible train. Raphael, a passenger at Montparnasse Station, described the situation as causing “exasperation.”

The Rémi Train Centre Val de Loire reported that travel on its lines would be disrupted until at least Monday due to a fire near the tracks in Courtalain, northern France.

Farandou emphasized the importance of reconnecting and testing the damaged cables to ensure safety once train services resume. Brittany and the north of the country are the most affected areas, although some trains have started running again, particularly in eastern France. However, there will be no trains from Paris’ Gare Montparnasse until at least 1 p.m. local time, according to SNCF Voyageurs CEO Christophe Fanichet.

Eurostar, which connects the UK with France, has also been forced to cancel and divert trains due to the sabotage, impacting travel between Paris and Lille and extending travel times.

These disruptions come just hours before the Olympic torch relay concludes and the opening ceremony begins, with over 320,000 spectators expected along the River Seine. Despite the disruptions, the Paris 2024 spokesperson confirmed that the opening ceremony would proceed as planned and assured there were no security concerns from the overnight incidents.

French Minister of Sports and the Olympic and Paralympic Games, Amélie Oudéa-Castera, labeled the train line disruptions as “coordinated sabotage” and condemned the attacks, promising to assess the impacts on travelers and athletes.

Other French officials, including outgoing transport minister Patrice Vergriete and Île-de-France region head Valerie Pecresse, described the attacks as deliberate, citing the timing, evidence of arson, and vans found at the scene.

Outgoing Prime Minister Gabriel Attal highlighted the severity of the disruptions, while SNCF labeled the incidents as an “attack on France.”

In response, Paris police chief Laurent Nunez announced increased security and additional police presence at the capital’s train stations. Security in Paris had already been heightened in preparation for the Games, with around 35,000 police officers deployed daily, peaking at 45,000 for the opening ceremony. Additionally, 10,000 soldiers and 1,800 international police officers are supporting the security efforts.

The cause of the disruptions remains unclear amidst growing domestic unrest influenced by recent national elections. Interior Minister Darmanin confirmed the detention of a “member of the extreme-right” suspected of planning violent actions during the Olympics, including an attempt to disrupt the torch relay.