Sabotage hits France’s communications lines during Paris Olympics

PARIS (AP) — The French government says multiple communications lines have been vandalized, affecting fiber, fixed and mobile phone lines, as cities across France host events to mark May Day. Paris 2024 Olympics.

It is not yet clear how big the impact was, nor is it clear whether it affected any Olympic activities. The sabotage came after Arson attacks hit train networks Across France on Friday, hours before Olympic Games Opening Ceremony.

Marina Ferrari, Secretary of State for Digital Affairs, posted on X that the damage in several areas during the night from Sunday to Monday affected telecommunications companies. She said this had a local impact on access to fibre lines, fixed and mobile phone lines.

The organizers of the Paris 2024 Olympics did not immediately comment on the matter.

A French police official said at least six administrative departments in France were affected, including the area around the Mediterranean city of Marseille, which hosts olympic football And Sailing competitions.

Telecoms companies Bouygues and Free confirmed their services were affected. French media reported that lines operated by SFR were also affected. Free’s parent company said its teams were ready to restore services.

Mobile operator Free said on Monday that “an incident affecting multiple networks is occurring in 11 departments,” including Marseille.

“All our teams have been mobilized to resolve the situation,” Frey said in a statement.

A national investigation is underway into last week’s train sabotage, which disrupted travel for around a million passengers in France as well as people in London and other neighbouring countries. Train services had largely resumed by Monday.

French media reported that a far-left activist was arrested at a railway facility on Sunday in the Seine-Maritimes region of western France. But the Paris prosecutor’s office said it was not linked to Friday’s incident and that no one had been arrested so far as part of the national investigation into the arson attacks.