Far-left extremist arrested for sabotage of French high-speed rail network
French authorities have arrested a far-left extremist in connection with the sabotage attack on the country’s high-speed rail network, which occurred on the day of the Paris Olympics opening ceremony last week.
Government suspects far-left involvement
Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin announced the arrest on Monday, July 29, stating that the government suspects far-left groups were behind the coordinated attack. “We have identified the profiles of several people. This is the traditional type of action of the ultra-left,” Darmanin told a French news channel. The arrest coincided with the sabotage of optic fiber networks in six areas across France.
Rise in extremist activities
While France has experienced an increase in attacks by Islamist militants in recent years, authorities are also concerned about the rise of far-left and anarchist militants who typically protest against the state and capitalism. Reports indicate that far-left groups have ramped up recruitment in the past year following President Emmanuel Macron‘s highly unpopular pension reforms.
Nicolas Lerner, former head of France’s domestic intelligence agency, noted last year that far-left groups often engage in damaging public infrastructure to make their voices heard. “In recent years, the far-left movements have been known for particularly violent clandestine actions, including arson campaigns, ransacking, and destruction of property,” Lerner told Le Monde newspaper.
Rail network restored
National rail operator SNCF reported on Sunday, July 28, that the damage had been repaired and trains were running on time. “Thanks to the exceptional efforts of SNCF Network staff, who worked non-stop since Friday morning, repairs are now fully completed on all the high-speed rail services affected by the sabotage attacks,” the operator said.
Details of the attack
The sabotage occurred on Friday, July 26, hours before the start of the Olympics opening ceremony, crippling the entire rail network across the country. Reports indicate that the cables, which ensure the security of train drivers, were set on fire and dismantled by the disruptors. The disruption affected around 800,000 passengers on a day when France was preparing to showcase its hosting capabilities. Additionally, two of the four trains carrying athletes were impacted by the outage.