Train traffic on the French high-speed rail network has resumed. Normally ” Monday morning, July 29, announced the French company SNCF. The announcement comes three days after the chaos caused by acts of sabotage that occurred a few hours before the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympic Games. A far-left activist was also arrested on Sunday, July 28 and taken into custody, a police source announced Monday. It is now the fiber optic networks of several French operators that have been targeted by acts of ” night sabotage “, in the middle of the Paris Olympic Games.
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A far-left activist was in police custody after being arrested on Sunday at a site SNCF in Oissel (Seine-Maritime), near Rouenwe learned on Monday from a police source. He had in his vehicle “ access keys to SNCF technical premises “, wire cutters and a set of universal wrenches, according to the source.
The investigation into the sabotage, opened by the Paris prosecutor’s office, is continuing to identify the perpetrators. Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin said on Monday that the services had “ identified a number of profiles who could have committed “these sabotages, which were” extremely well targeted “. ” This is the traditional mode of action of the ultra-left. “, continued Gérald Darmanin on France 2, while calling for ” be careful » : « The question is whether they were manipulated or whether it was for their own benefit. »
Media outlets received a message of support for the sabotage on Saturday, signed ” an unexpected delegation “. The latter justifies the actions and criticizes the Olympics by resorting to a dialectic used by the militants of the anarchist ultra-left. However, no details on the actions carried out are provided. According to a source close to the case, it is not ” not a claim as such “, but rather a message welcoming the sabotage.
Traffic returns to normal
” Traffic is normal. Everything has resumed as planned. “, SNCF also indicated on Monday. The railway company had announced on Sunday that the repair work was “ completely finished ” and that there would be ” no more disturbance “for travelers” from Monday morning “. ” I can confirm that this Monday morning, all trains are running. […] Normally ” assured the Minister Delegate for Transport, Patrice Vergriete, on RTL.
The Minister of Transport also welcomed the ” exceptional mobilization “agents of the public railway company.” You know, repairs of this nature usually take a week. The SNCF was hoping for three days thanks to the over-mobilization and, finally, it took two days. “, stressed Patrice Vergriete.
THE ” repair expenses “, a surveillance” reinforced » of the TGV network and the « loss of business revenue “, in addition to cancellations or delays fully reimbursed by the SNCF, will “ very probably ” amount to millions of euros, the minister estimated on RTL. And “ there is no way this will have a direct impact on the ticket ” he added in response to a question about possible repercussions on tariffs.
Optical fiber targeted by sabotage
Malicious acts affected SFR installations during the night from Sunday to Monday and impacted operators such as Free, in particular, in six departments: Bouches-du-Rhône, Aude, Oise, Hérault, Meuse and Drôme, AFP learned from a police source, confirming information from the Parisian. The communications department of Free, which had reported incidents in the Marne and Vaucluse to AFP, has retracted its statements. Paris, the heart of the Olympic Games (July 26-August 11) and Paralympic Games (August 28-September 8), was not affected, a police source added.
These malicious acts affected both fixed and mobile customers of SFR, as well as foreign operators using its networks (Vodafone, British Telecom, etc.), according to another police source. The operator was keen to minimise the disruptions, which only affected its long-distance network.
” On the end customer side at SFR, there is little impact, because the long distance network is made up of large loops and is rerouted when it is cut. “, the group explained to AFP. This morning (…) there are only 10,000 fixed customers [affectés]which is ridiculous on a network scale “. ” This is vandalism. These are large sections of cables that have been cut. You have to go at it with an axe or an angle grinder. “, it was added.
The National Jurisdiction for the Fight against Organized Crime (Junalco) took charge of the investigation on Friday for the ” damage to telecommunications relay devices “, the Paris prosecutor said on Monday. The investigation is open for damage to property likely to harm the fundamental interests of the nation, attacks on an automated data processing system by an organized gang and criminal association, Laure Beccuau said in a statement.
A ” enhanced surveillance mechanism has been put in place »
Three major roads were affected by the arson attacks on the night of Thursday to FridayTraffic had resumed normally on Saturday on the eastern line, the situation was ” almost normal ” Sunday on the Atlantic line. On the northern axis, three out of four trains were running on Sunday. Traffic was also normal for Eurostar trains to London and Brussels, according to the company.
Since the attack, a ” enhanced surveillance mechanism has been put in place » on the TGV network, with « a thousand SNCF maintenance agents ” And “ 250 railway security officers “SNCF workers are mobilized” until further notice “, as well as ” 50 drones ” and helicopter overflights by the gendarmerie, Patrice Vergriete also stressed.
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