Eiffel Tower evacuated after shirtless man scales landmark ahead of Paris Olympic closing ceremony
11 August 2024, 14:50 | Updated: 11 August 2024, 15:28
Police have evacuated the Eiffel Tower after a shirtless man is spotted scaling the iconic Paris landmark.
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The shirtless man was spotted scaling the 1,083ft tower just after 3pm on Sunday.
It comes ahead of Olympic closing ceremony, which is due to take place in the French city this evening.
Police escorted visitors away from the base of the structure after the man was spotted by onlookers just above the Olympic rings, which adorn the second section of the structure to celebrate the 2024 games.
It came as security services in Paris shifted their focus to the closing ceremony, with authorities on high alert ahead of the event.
It's unknown where the man began his ascent, with onlookers flagging his presence just above the first viewing deck on Sunday afternoon.
Some visitors were reportedly locked on the second floor of the structure over safety fears, but were allowed to exit the monument around 30 minutes later.
Video footage emerging on social media appears to show the man climbing up the tower, pictured beside the blue Olympic ring.
In one video posted on X, an eyewitness can be heard saying: "There is a dude climbing the Eiffel Tower. He just passed the blue ring. I don’t think he is wearing a shirt. Uh that is crazy."
Sunday evening will see athletes from around the world attending the Olympic closing ceremony, which is set to take place at the Stade de France, in the Saint-Denis area of the city, at 9pm.
Read more: Police shoot man carrying 'weapon' in Surrey village following reports of a 'altercation'
Artists including chart-topping pop star Billie Eilish are set to take part in the late night ceremony.
More than 30,000 police officers have been deployed around Paris to ensure security remains tight ahead of the ceremony.
It comes as Bryony Page and Alex Yee MBE were named as Team GB’s flag bearers ahead of the ceremony.
