07/26/2024

Arson Attack Incites Travel Chaos Ahead of Opening Ceremony

At least three high-speed links to Paris were disrupted

Coordinated arson attacks disrupted service on three high-speed train lines in France on Friday, causing travel chaos across the nation on the day of the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics. Train service is expected to be affected through the weekend, interrupting plans for more than a million people, including French vacationers, Olympic athletes and tourists.

The fires, which were set in pipes carrying cables and have been described as "criminal," were all detected around 4 a.m., according to Patrice Vergriete, France’s transportation minister. The disruptions rippled beyond Paris, with Eurostar, an international rail service, saying it would divert trains from the city.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attacks. French officials suggested that the fires had been set to disrupt the Olympics.

Please select this link to read the complete article from The New York Times.