French security forces have arrested 50 activists from the environmental group Extinction Rebellion for planning protest activities and sabotage during the Paris Olympics.
French Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin announced the arrests during an interview with the government television channel France 2, stating that 150 individuals were intended to participate in “sabotage activities with extremist motivations.” The minister revealed that these plans were scheduled to be executed “during the initial trials of the Olympics,” but he did not disclose the nature of these acts or the details of the plans.
Recent events surrounding the Paris 2024 Olympics have been marked by a series of sabotage activities targeting crucial infrastructure. Just before the opening ceremony, France’s high-speed rail lines were subjected to significant disruptions due to sabotage. This involved criminal actions that paralyzed several high-speed rail links connecting Paris to other parts of France and neighboring countries. As a result, travel plans for approximately 800,000 passengers were disrupted, although swift repair efforts allowed most to reach their destinations.
Additionally, there have been coordinated arson attacks on France’s national rail network, SNFC, affecting key rail points and aiming to disrupt transportation as the nation prepared for the Olympic festivities.
