Louvre security chief accused of being 'diversity hire' after brazen crown jewels heist
The leader of a far-right party has called for her resignation
The Louvre’s head of security is facing fierce criticism as a 'diversity hire' after a heist saw thieves make off with several priceless pieces of Napoleonic jewellery.
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Dominique Buffin, 46, was appointed last year as the museum’s first female security chief by Laurence Des Cars, the Louvre’s first female director.
The heist unfolded in under eight minutes, with thieves using a furniture hoist to scale the Louvre’s walls before smashing into the gilded Apollo Gallery and seizing eight items from France’s crown jewels on October 19.
Despite alarms sounding and staff rushing to intervene, the intruders vanished almost as quickly as they arrived, leaving France stunned.
Both women are now under pressure to resign as a political storm unfolds.
Marion Maréchal, leader of the far-right Identity–Liberties party, wrote on social media: "[Culture minister] Rachida Dati must demand the immediate resignation of the museum’s director Laurence Des Cars and the security chief Dominique Buffin, whom she appointed... as part of a feminisation policy."
She accused the museum of prioritising gender over ability, adding: "Evidently at the cost of forgoing competence and endangering the cultural heritage of our nation."
National Rally leader Marine Le Pen called the heist "a wound to the country’s soul", while party president Jordan Bardella described it as "an intolerable humiliation for our country."
He added: "How far will the decay of the State go?"
Even within government, officials admitted serious failings. France’s justice minister Gérald Darmanin said: "What is certain is that we have failed, since people were able to park a furniture hoist in the middle of Paris, get people up it in several minutes to grab priceless jewels, and give France a terrible image."
The museum’s director, Laurence Des Cars, had previously requested a detailed security audit of the sites under her management in 2021.
Culture minister Rachida Dati said the recommendations from that review were made only recently and were "beginning to be implemented".
Her ministry defended the Louvre’s security response, stating: "The alarms… were triggered.
"At the time of the break-in, which was particularly rapid and severe, the five museum staff present in the room and adjacent areas intervened immediately to apply the security protocol."
The entire heist lasted less than eight minutes - with the thieves spending under four minutes inside the museum itself, before alarms forced them to flee.
Dati told broadcaster CNews that investigators were analysing evidence recovered from the scene.
"We did find motorcycles and they have a licence plate," she said.
"I also want to pay tribute to the security officers who prevented the basket lift from being set on fire.
"One of the criminals tried to set it on fire, but they forced him to flee. This allowed us to recover evidence at the scene."
France’s interior minister Laurent Nunez has now ordered prefects across the country to review and reinforce security measures protecting museums and cultural heritage sites, as investigators race to track down the thieves.