PARIS– A British man, who was seen climbing the Eiffel Tower on the last day of Paris Olympicshas been released from police custody but remains under investigation for trespassing on a historic site, French prosecutors said Monday.
Police evacuated the area around the Eiffel Tower on Sunday afternoon after a shirtless man was seen climbing the 330-metre-high landmark hours earlier. 2024 Summer Olympics closing ceremony.
It is unclear where he began his ascent, but he was seen above the Olympic rings that adorn the second section of the monument, just above the first viewpoint. The police intervened and arrested the man.
Prosecutors opened an investigation on charges of “endangering the lives of others and trespassing on a historical or cultural site,” according to a statement from the Paris Public Prosecutor’s Office. The police custody order for the suspect was lifted on Monday, the statement also said. It did not reveal the man’s name, but said he is a British citizen.
The Eiffel Tower was the centerpiece of the luxurious opening ceremony on the River Seinewith Celine Dion serenading the city from one of her viewing areas. It had a prominent place during the extraordinary two and a half weeks of Olympic competitionbut was not part of the closing ceremony, which took place at the Stade de France stadium in the northern suburb of Saint-Denis.
More than 30,000 police and other security agents were deployed around Paris on Sunday to ensure safety on the last day of the Olympics and the full of starslast show at France’s national stadium.
___
This story originally appeared on ABCNews.go.com read the full story
