Paris Olympics 2024: telecom installations vandalized in France amidst tensions
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Amid the ongoing Paris Olympics, France has seen a spate of attacks on its telecommunications infrastructure.
Reports from Le Parisien and BFM TV, citing unnamed sources, indicated that telecom installations belonging to French companies SFR and Bouygues Telecom have been vandalized.
These incidents involved the cutting of cables in electrical cabinets in southern France, as well as vandalism of installations in the Meuse region near Luxembourg and the Oise area near Paris. The disruptions primarily impacted fixed-line services. Both SFR and Bouygues have not yet commented on these events.
This follows an earlier attack on France's high-speed rail network, where saboteurs targeted signal substations and cables, causing widespread travel disruptions. The attacks occurred just hours before the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics.
Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin announced that a far-left extremist had been arrested in connection with the rail network sabotage.
While traffic on the rail network has returned to normal, the disruptions affected approximately 800,000 travelers, with 100,000 train cancellations. It is unclear if there is a connection between the telecom vandalism and the earlier rail network sabotage.
Authorities continue to investigate these incidents as they work to maintain security and order during the Olympic Games.