Addressing the threat from the far-Left, he said: “There’s a tradition in France of black blocs, every time there’s a demonstration they destroy, they break things. In fact, France has been facing these problems for several years now, and we haven’t managed to solve them. And so now, of course, it’s getting out of hand.”
Jérôme Poirot, terror expert for RMC-BFMTV added: “We know that Russia and other countries want to interfere with the Olympic Games. There may be a plan in place to prevent the opening ceremony.”
EARLIER REPORTED
France’s high-speed national rail network has been “paralysed” by “malicious acts” including arson attacks in an apparent bid to cause chaos before this evening’s opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics.
In “coordinated” sabotage, signals along the tracks were set on fire and cables cut and set alight, sources close to the investigation said.
The attacks triggered mass cancellations and were launched as Paris prepares for the opening ceremony, with 7500 athletes, 300,000 spectators and an audience of VIPs.
The “coordinated” sabotage follows warnings that foreign countries, notably Russia, whose athletes have been barred from the opening ceremony, will seek to disrupt the Games.
“This is a massive attack on a large scale to paralyse the TGV network,” said national rail operator SNCF, adding that many routes will have to be cancelled and the situation would last “at least all weekend while repairs are conducted”.
Transport Minister Patrice Vergriete said in a post on X that he “firmly condemns these criminal incidents”, and that SNCF is working to restore traffic.
Vergriete said: “All the evidence we have suggests this was deliberate.
“The simultaneous timings, the vans found with people who fled, particularly on the south-east side, the incendiary agents found on site,” he told BFMTV.
An investigation is underway, he confirmed, but “everything points to arson”.
The SNCF said for the entire weekend, “we estimate that around 800,000 passengers will be affected”.
Sports Minister Amelie Oudea-Castera condemned the vandalism, Reuters reported.
“It’s completely appalling,” she told BFMTV. “To target the games is to target France.”
At the Gare de L’Est, traveller Corinne Lecocq said her train to Strasbourg on the border with Germany had been cancelled.
“We’ll take the slow line,” she said. “I’m on holiday so it’s OK, even if it is irritating to be late.”
SNCF CEO Jean-Pierre Faranadou said that “the French are under attack” and that the plans of thousands who had hoped to come to Paris for the Games had been “ruined”.
“Today, it’s the major (holiday) departures that are under attack, it’s a part of France that is under attack, it’s the French who are under attack,” he told BFMTV.
“It was also, of course, the inauguration of the opening of the Olympic Games, with many French people going up to Paris to enjoy a day or three to share in the joy of the Olympic Games. All that is ruined. But we’re not going to give up.
“We’re brave at SNCF France, we face up to the difficulties.
“It’s going to be a big job to fix this, but we’ll get back on our feet and you can count on us. Count on SNCF to mobilise, to minimise the impact on the French people of this massive assault on the high-speed line network.”
Five incidents of damage or attempted damage to the SNCF network took place between 1am and 5.30am, targeting electrical or signalling boxes, according to France Info, citing sources “close to the matter”.
