French authorities investigate British man who climbed the Eiffel Tower before Olympics closing show

PARIS (AP) — A British man, who was seen climbing the Eiffel Tower on the last day of the Paris Olympics, has been released from police custody, but remains under investigation for trespassing at a historical site, French prosecutors said on Monday.

Police evacuated the area around the Eiffel Tower on Sunday afternoon after a shirtless man was seen scaling the 330-meter (1,083-foot) tall landmark hours before closing ceremony of the 2024 Summer Games.

It’s unclear where he began his ascent, but he was spotted above the Olympic rings adorning the second section of the monument, just above the first viewing deck. Police intervened and arrested the man.

Prosecutors opened an investigation on charges of “endangering the lives of other people and trespassing at a historical or cultural site,” according to a statement from the Paris public prosecutor’s office. The police custody order for the suspect was lifted on Monday, the also statement said. It did not name the man, but said he is a British national.

The Eiffel Tower was the centerpiece of the lavish opening ceremony on the River Seine, with Celine Dion serenading the city from one of its viewing areas. It featured prominently during the two and a half extraordinary weeks of Olympic competition, but was not part of the closing ceremony, which was staged at Stade de France stadium in the northern suburb of Saint-Denis.

More than 30,000 police officers and other security personnel were deployed around Paris on Sunday to ensure safety on the last day of the Olympics and the star-studdedfinal show in France’s national stadium.

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AP Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/2024-paris-olympic-games