2023-10-13 16:48:05
The CGT counted 20,000 demonstrators in the capital. The Eiffel Tower closed its doors for the entire day this Friday, October 13 due to the staff strike. The opening of the Louvre museum was also disrupted in the morning.
The Eiffel Tower, the most emblematic monument in France, is closed for the whole day this Friday, October 13 due to the strike of its staff, while some 20,000 people demonstrate this afternoon in Paris as part of the day of inter-union action on wages, according to the first figures from the CGT.
“As the number of staff present on site is not sufficient to open the monument in optimal security and reception conditions for the public, the Tower will remain closed all day,” specified the Eiffel Tower operating company. (SETE) in a press release. Tickets reserved online for this Friday will be automatically refunded.
The opening of the Louvre disrupted
On the other side of the Seine, the Mona Lisa was temporarily inaccessible to art lovers this Friday morning. The opening of the Louvre, the busiest museum in the world, was delayed by almost two hours, also due to the day of inter-union strike, the institution announced on X (formerly Twitter). The Louvre, which initially stated that the doors of the museum would remain closed due to a “social movement by some of its staff”, then clarified that the situation had returned to order. “The Louvre Museum is now ready to welcome you, after a delayed opening this morning. Visitors with a reservation whose visiting slot has passed can access the museum,” the Louvre reported on the platform.
Dear visitors,
The museum of #Louvre is now ready to welcome you, after a delayed opening this morning. Visitors with a reservation whose visiting time has passed can access the museum.We thank you for your understanding and… pic.twitter.com/IvdhvZc2e7
— Louvre Museum (@MuseeLouvre) October 13, 2023
The museum welcomed 7.8 million visitors in 2022, a year marked by the return of foreign tourists after two years of health crisis, compared to three million for the Musée d’Orsay or the Center Pompidou, other major art museums in the French capital.
More than six months after the battle against pension reform, this Friday is a day of action by French unions “against austerity” and “for wages and gender equality”. Some 230 actions have been announced in many cities, from private doctors to transport and teachers. The first figures show a mobilization of a much smaller scale than during the 14 days of action against the pension reform between January and June, the CGT having reported a low of 300,000 demonstrators in the capital.
Update: at 3:52 p.m., with the addition of the closure of the Eiffel Tower then at 4:25 p.m. with the mobilization figures.
#demonstrators #Paris #CGT #Libération