French Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin announced the arrest of an “ultra-left activist” for allegedly breaking into a railway site in the Seine-Maritime region of France. This comes as part of a national investigation into last week’s arson attacks on train networks that disrupted travel for nearly a million passengers before the opening of the 2024 Paris Olympics. The suspect, arrested on Sunday, was found with access keys to SNCF technical premises, cutting pliers, universal keys, and literature related to the far left in his vehicle. Authorities are investigating whether the man can be linked to the widespread arson attacks that occurred before the Olympics.
According to reports by the Paris prosecutor’s office, the arrest of the unidentified man near Rouen on Sunday is not immediately linked to the arson attacks. However, a police source revealed that the man was an activist from the far-left movement. The man was detained after a train conductor witnessed individuals near a railway electrical cabinet, and the group fled when spotted by the conductor. Authorities detained the man for questioning when he returned to retrieve his vehicle left at the scene. Interior Minister Darmanin described the sabotage as voluntary and very precise, following the traditional mode of action of the ultra-left, and raised concerns about whether the perpetrators were manipulated or acted for their own benefit.
The infrastructure targeted during the sabotage included fiber optic cables near the tracks that transmit safety information to drivers. The cables were cut and set on fire at various locations on the TGV line network overnight Thursday to Friday in a well-prepared operation organized by the same structure. The acts of sabotage on the communication infrastructure were extremely specific and targeted, raising concerns about the intention behind the attacks. The French government reported acts of vandalism on telecommunications lines overnight Sunday into Monday, impacting fiber lines, fixed, and mobile phone lines. This affected several regions, including areas hosting Olympic activities, but the exact scale of the impact is unclear.
As the national investigation into the sabotage and vandalism continues, train traffic had largely resumed by Monday. However, multiple telecommunications operators reported damages to their lines, affecting access to fiber lines and telephone services. Marina Ferrari, the secretary of state in charge of digital affairs, condemned the acts of vandalism as cowardly and irresponsible. Several regions, including areas hosting Olympic activities like Marseille, were affected by the damaged telecommunications lines. Telecom operators Bouygues, Free, and SFR were confirmed to have been impacted, with repairs underway to restore services. The French police are investigating the extent of the impact and working to repair the damaged sites.
