Attacks on French rail network ahead of Olympics

PARIS (AP) — French transportation was thrown into chaos Friday, just hours before the opening ceremony of the 2024 Olympics, after a series of coordinated “malicious acts” brought down high-speed train lines.

Authorities said the arson attacks and other vandalism on the rail system were a form of sabotage on a crucial day of the Games. There was no sign of a direct connection to the Olympics, but authorities are investigating.

Travel for hundreds of thousands of travelers was disrupted on the rail system linking Paris to the rest of France and neighboring countries. No injuries were reported.

Here’s what you need to know:

What happened to the rail network?

Details were still emerging, but authorities say there were arson attacks and other “criminal acts” of vandalism.

Authorities said three fires were reported before dawn near tracks on high-speed lines, causing disruptions that particularly affected Paris’ Montparnasse station.

“Everything indicates that these are arson attacks,” said Transport Minister Patrice Vergriete.

French Prime Minister Gabriel Attal said intelligence services were trying to find the perpetrators of “acts of sabotage” that he called “prepared and coordinated.”

They took place against a backdrop of global tensions and heightened security measures in Paris as the city prepares for the 2024 Olympic Games.

Paris prosecutors have launched investigations into the crimes, including material damage that threatens the “fundamental interests” of the nation, which could carry prison sentences of 10 to 20 years.

Jean-Pierre Farandou, CEO of French rail company SNCF, said the vandalism showed “a desire to seriously harm” the French and that its nature implied “a premeditated, calculated and coordinated attack”.

He said the fires were predominantly in pipes containing essential signalling cables, requiring meticulous cable-by-cable repairs.

How will arson attacks affect the 2024 Olympics?

French trains and the wider transport system have faced delays, with some journeys taking hours longer than usual or even stopping completely.

Two of four trains carrying Olympic athletes to Paris on the western Atlantique high-speed line have been stopped, an SNCF official said.

Two German equestrian athletes — Philipp Weishaupt and Christian Kukuk — said they would miss the opening ceremony due to long delays, German news agency dpa reported.

“It’s a shame, but we would have been too late,” Weishaupt said. “There was no chance of getting there in time.”

However, Vergrie, the transport minister, said rail traffic was starting to return in the afternoon, especially on the Atlantique line, which had been completely halted.

The delays spread internationally to stations in London. Many travelers were planning to converge on Paris for the opening ceremony, and many tourists — including Parisians hoping to escape the Olympics — were also in transit.

SNCF advised passengers to postpone their journeys and avoid going to stations, saying all tickets were exchangeable and refundable.

Who is behind the sabotage?

So far, French authorities have not said who is suspected of planning and carrying out the arson attacks.

Asked whether they could be linked to Russia, French Sports Minister Amelie Oudea-Castera said “maybe,” adding that the attacks could also have been carried out at home. She called them “malicious acts.”

Other French officials said it was too early to say whether there was any Russian connection.

The reason people are asking this question is that French officials and cybersecurity experts in the US and Europe have identified a growing effort by Russia to undermine France, particularly the Olympic Games, and President Emmanuel Macron, who is one of Ukraine’s biggest supporters in Europe.

Additionally, French authorities have foiled several plots to disrupt the Olympics, including the arrest of a Russian this week on suspicion of planning to destabilize the games.

How important are the Games for Paris?

The train disruptions mark a rocky start to the biggest event France has ever hosted. The Olympics are a crucial moment for Macron, who is facing political turmoil following recent legislative elections.