Eiffel Tower head steps down after turning away women over religious visit
The director of the Eiffel Tower, Branco Ruivo, has resigned after allowing a religious group to exclude female staff members during a private visit. The incident, which occurred during celebrations for a new Hindu temple in Paris, sparked staff protests and led to the temporary closure of the landmark.
Branco Ruivo, the director of the Eiffel Tower since 2018, has resigned following a controversy involving a private visit by a Hindu religious group. During the event, which was connected to the opening of a new temple in Paris, female staff members were asked to stay home at the request of the visitors. The incident led to protests from employees, who staged a walkout and forced the monument to close for one day. SETE, the operating company of the tower, acknowledged that allowing these conditions was a significant operational failure and described the exclusion of female staff as unacceptable. The BAPS Hindu organization has since issued an apology for the distress caused by the incident. High-ranking government officials, including the French Minister for Equality, criticized the event, asserting that religious dogmas cannot override the laws of the Republic. The fallout from this decision has now resulted in the departure of the tower's leadership after intense public and internal pressure.
Based on reporting by nu. Translated and condensed by LocalHeadlines.
