Eiffel Tower evacuated after man climbs iconic Paris landmark ahead of Olympics closing ceremony
French authorities have evacuated the area around the Eiffel Tower after a man was seen climbing the world-famous landmark hours before the Olympics closing ceremony.
The shirtless man was seen scaling the 1,083ft (330m) Paris tourist attraction on Sunday afternoon.
It was unclear where he began his ascent, but he was spotted just above the Olympic rings adorning the second section of the monument, beyond the first viewing deck.
Police escorted visitors away from the area at around 3pm. Some who were briefly locked on the second floor were allowed to leave around 30 minutes later.
The closing ceremony is set to begin at the Stade de France in the Saint-Denis area, well away from the Tower, at around 9pm.
More than 30,000 police officers have been deployed around Paris and beyond to watch over the last Olympic events and Sunday's closing ceremony.
France's interior minister, Gerald Darmanin, said about 3,000 police officers will be mobilised around the Stade de France, and 20,000 police troops and other security personnel in Paris and the Saint-Denis area will be mobilised late into Sunday night to ensure safety on the last day of the Games.
This year’s Olympics marked the third time Paris has hosted the modern Games in its history.