Vandals have carried out arson attacks on France’s high-speed train network causing major travel disruption ahead of the Paris Olympics opening ceremony.
The state-owned railway operator SNCF said fires had been set at installations along the lines connecting Paris with the country’s west, north and east and that services would be severely impacted during the weekend.
It said in a statement: “Last night, the SNCF was victim of several acts of vandalism on the Atlantic, Northern and Eastern high-speed lines.
“Fires were deliberately set to damage our installations.”
Sports minister Amelie Oudea-Castera condemned the vandalism, which she referred to as “a sort of coordinated sabotage”.
She said: “It’s completely appalling.
“To target the games is to target France.”
She added: “It will disrupt this day and probably this weekend as well.”
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