Vandalism Hits Communication Lines in France During Paris Olympics

Vandalism Hits Communication Lines in France During Paris Olympics

As a long-time resident of Paris and avid fan of the Olympics, I can’t help but feel a pang of disappointment and concern as I read about the recent acts of vandalism affecting telecommunications lines in various regions around France, particularly those hosting events for the 2024 Paris Olympics.


Several telecommunications lines in France have been damaged, causing disruptions to fiber optic cables and both landline and mobile phone services. This issue arises as various cities in France prepare to host events for the 2024 Paris Olympics.

As a fan, I can’t fully grasp the extent of the damage caused, nor am I certain if it disrupted any Olympic events. Regrettably, this vandalism occurred following arson attacks that targeted train networks in France on Friday, just prior to the Olympics opening ceremony.

Marina Ferrari, the secretary of state overseeing digital matters, announced on X that multiple areas experienced telecommunications disruptions between late Sunday and early Monday. This incident reportedly caused selective problems in reaching fiber optic cables and both landline and cellular phones.

Paris 2024 Olympics organizers would not immediately comment.

“I was shocked to learn that at least six French administrative departments have been impacted, among which is the area surrounding the Mediterranean city of Marseille. This region is significant because it’s hosting both Olympic soccer and sailing competitions.”

Both Bouygues and Free, two telecom service providers in France, acknowledged experiencing disruptions. Additionally, press outlets indicated that SFR, another telecommunications company, was similarly impacted. The overseeing organization of Free stated that they were actively working to resolve the issues and restore their services.

An investigation is currently being carried out on last week’s train sabotage that affected approximately one million travelers in France and caused disruptions in London and other nearby nations. Normal train service was restored for the most part by Monday.

In western France’s Seine-Maritime area, French news outlets announced an extreme-left protester’s arrest at a rail station on Sunday. However, the Paris Prosecutor’s Office clarified that this incident was not related to the recent arson cases under investigation and no one has been taken into custody in relation to the national probe yet.

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2024-07-29 14:00