Eiffel Tower was abruptly shut down on Sunday morning after security forces spotted a suspected terrorist ascending towards the monument with a large rucksack.
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‘There’s been a report of a man with a rucksack, ‘ said a police source assisting with the evacuation of the tower.
While France is in a state of heightened alert, police say the man may not be a terrorist but a thrill-seeker who is attempting to parachute off the building.
The suspect was seen in the tower about an hour before it opened. They completely disappeared, so enquiries are centered on them being extreme parachutists.
A police cordon was placed around the tower as people were moved to the banks of the nearby River Seine.
The tower is considered vulnerable to terror attacks since it attracts a total of 7 million visitors per year, and is therefore may turn to be the most attractive target of extremists.
“It’s happened in the past”, said the same police source.
The 1,050ft tall iron lattice tower was built for the 1889 World’s Fair, and soon turned into a prestige symbol of modern France.
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Many holidaymakers are still waiting for the popular tourist site to reopen, but it is unclear when it will.
