Targeted arson attacks disrupt high-speed French rail network ahead of Paris Olympics

France’s high-speed train lines were targeted by meticulously planned arson attacks that disrupted travel just hours before the opening ceremonies of the 2024 Paris Olympics on July 26.

The French rail network SNCF (Société nationale des chemins de fer français / National Company of the French Railways) described the attack as "massive" and "criminal".

The well-planned attacks targeted remote locations far from Paris, where 35,000 police officers have been deployed for the Olympics.

The multiple malicious acts including arson have been described as an attack on France and coordinated sabotage.

No one has claimed responsibility for the attacks, but given the planning and precision, it seems more than just random acts of vandalism.

The French state railway company SNCF said in a post on X that “a large number of trains were diverted or canceled,” and asked, “all travelers who can to postpone their trip and not go to the station.” By July 26 noon its services had partially resumed though widespread disruption continued.

The arson attacks began pre-dawn on vital junctions of the high-speed rail network. France's high-speed TGV trains run at 300km/h (186mph) and connect the country with its network being largely rural which makes the infrastructure more vulnerable.

The head of state-owned rail company SNCF, Jean-Pierre Farandou, said whoever was behind the sabotage had targeted intersections on the network to have the most serious impact "since each fire cut off two lines" and damaged critical signalling cables, reported BBC.

Signal boxes along three lines connecting Paris with major cities to the north, east and southwest were damaged by fires in a "massive attack", it said.
However, authorities foiled a fourth arson attack on the line towards the south-east.

David Lappartient from CNOSF (French National Olympic and Sports Committee) confirmed that no French athletes were impacted by the "acts of sabotage".

Earlier today, the caretaker French Prime Minister Gabriel Attal said the attackers knew the entire rail network as they had targeted the "nerve centers" of the system.

"What we know, what we see is that this operation was prepared, coordinated, that 'nerve centres' were targeted, which shows a form of knowledge of the network to know where to strike," Attal said during a visit to the transport ministry crisis centre, as reported by the BBC.

"I can’t tell you more about the authors and their motivations. But I see the massive impact for many of our fellow citizens," he said.

The attack paralyzed the high-speed rail network leading to thousands of train passengers stranded. Paris prosecutor's office has opened an investigation and repairs on France's damaged network are ongoing.

Engineers are working to fix the damage, but the disruption will likely last the entire weekend with SNCF estimating some 800,000 passengers affected.