2024 Paris Olympics: France’s Rail Network Suffers “Malicious” Attack Ahead of Opening Ceremony – E! Online

France’s start to the 2024 Olympics has been derailed.

Hours before the Games’ Opening Ceremony, the country’s rail network (SNCF) has suffered coordinated arson attacks, according to French officials.

“Early this morning, acts of sabotage were carried out in a prepared and coordinated manner on SNCF installations,” Prime Minister Gabriel Attal wrote on X, formerly Twitter. “The consequences on the rail network are massive and serious.”

And while expressing his gratitude to first responders and those restoring the network, Attal lamented the French citizens and tourists who had their plans upended and confirmed, “Our intelligence services and law enforcement are mobilized to find and punish the perpetrators of these criminal acts.”

The SCNF also provided additional details on the attacks in a news release, confirming “arson attacks were carried out to damage the installations,” affecting the Atlantic, North and East high-speed lines.

The release described the incidents as “a massive attack” and confirmed 250,000 passengers’ travels had been disrupted, with up to 800,000 more expected to be affected over the weekend.