2024 France railway arson attacks

On 26 July 2024, coinciding with the 2024 Summer Olympics opening ceremony, a coordinated series of arson incidents targeted the LGV Atlantique, LGV Nord, and LGV Est segments of the French high-speed rail network. These deliberate acts severely disrupted both international and domestic train operations, impacting close to 800,000 passengers. An attempted attack on the LGV Sud-Est route was prevented thanks to the vigilance of on-site TGV maintenance personnel.

Background

Earlier, on 8 May, authorities averted an attack during the arrival of the Olympic flame in Marseille, when police uncovered four incendiary devices placed along the LGV Méditerranée line between Aix and Marseille.

Attacks

Damage was inflicted on four signal boxes along rail corridors connecting Paris with cities such as Lille, Bordeaux, and Strasbourg. Meanwhile, an assault on the LGV Sud-Est line was successfully stopped. As a result of these arson attacks, Eurostar announced cancellations affecting one in every four trains, leading to significant disturbances across both international and national high-speed services. The total number of passengers affected reached approximately 800,000.

Sabotage locations

1. LGV Atlantique: vicinity of Arrou (nearby town of Courtalain)
2. LGV Est Européenne: between Meuse TGV station and Lamorville
3. LGV Est Européenne: close to Pagny-sur-Moselle
4. LGV Nord: near Croisilles
5. LGV Sud-Est: near Vergigny, where railway workers intervened to prevent damage

Impact

Three major high-speed lines experienced disruptions:

• LGV Atlantique: suspension of approximately two-thirds of train services.
• LGV Est Européenne: delays averaging 90 minutes; all trains continued running, with expectations to resume normal operations by 27 July.
• LGV Nord: delays around one hour accompanied by some cancellations; full service anticipated by 29 July.

Between 26 and 28 July, Eurostar canceled 25% of its scheduled trains. Remaining services were diverted onto conventional tracks at reduced speeds, resulting in journey extensions of roughly 90 minutes.

In total, over 800,000 travelers were directly affected, including around 250,000 on the day of the attacks alone.

Due to these disruptions, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer chose to travel by air rather than using Eurostar for attending the Olympics opening ceremony.

Investigation

As of now, no organization has claimed responsibility for the sabotage, and French officials have not revealed any suspects or motives.

The Paris prosecutor’s office initiated an investigation into an alleged assault on "fundamental national interests," deploying intelligence and law enforcement resources.

On 25 July, Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz alerted French authorities about a potential Iran-backed plot aimed at disrupting the Olympic Games. Iran denied any involvement both prior to and following the incidents.

On 28 July, authorities detained an "ultra-left militant" near a railway site in northwest France who was found carrying tools and literature associated with ultra-leftist groups. However, no direct evidence linked him to the attacks at that time.

Responses

French sports minister Amélie Oudéa-Castéra condemned the acts of vandalism, emphasizing that targeting the Olympics equated to an assault on France itself. Prime minister Gabriel Attal pledged to "identify and hold accountable" those responsible for sabotaging transport links ahead of the opening event. Transport minister Patrice Vergriete cautioned about "very serious consequences" for rail traffic over the weekend, noting that connections to northern, eastern, and northwestern regions would be reduced by half. Interior minister Gerald Darmanin suggested that the sabotage techniques bore hallmarks typical of ultra-left factions, implying a possible connection.

See also

• Centennial Olympic Park bombing
• Munich massacre