In a pre-dawn attack on Friday, arsonists targeted critical signalling cables for France’s high-speed railway network, causing widespread disruptions for around 800,000 people across Europe, including athletes heading to the Paris Olympics’ opening ceremony. The fires were set in remote locations far from the capital, aiming to cut off railway routes into the city from all directions. While there were no reports of injuries, the attacks paralyzed train travel and led to increased security measures across the network.
French government ministers swiftly condemned the acts of vandalism, with Minister Delegate for Transport Patrice Vergriete stating that disruption to TGV high-speed trains would continue in the coming days. SNCF CEO Jean-Pierre Farandou assured that an investigation was underway to identify and apprehend those responsible for the coordinated attack against the French network.
Minister for Sport and the Olympic and Paralympic Games, Amélie Oudéa-Castéra, expressed her firm condemnation of the incident, emphasizing that targeting the games was also an attack against France and the country’s values. Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin expressed hope that arrests would be made soon.
Despite the disruptions, SNCF teams are working diligently to restore normal train services as quickly as possible. The company has stepped up surveillance measures on the ground and in the air, utilizing both human and technical resources to safeguard the network. The French government is determined to bring the perpetrators of this criminal act to justice and ensure the security and integrity of the railway system.
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