What began as a routine internal meeting at the Louvre Museum in Paris on Monday morning turned into a spontaneous protest that left thousands of visitors stranded for hours in long, unmoving lines in and outside the iconic glass pyramid with no idea whether they would get to enter the museum or not, reports Cape {town} Etc.
The iconic tourist attraction was forced to remain closed after front-of-house staff, including gallery attendants, ticket agents and security personnel, refused to take up their posts in a protest against what staff have deemed ‘deteriorating labour conditions’.
‘It’s a movement led by reception agents who are suffering from the working conditions at the Louvre,’ Sarah Sefian of the CGT-Culture told AP News.
She added that the ‘scheduled monthly information session turned into a mass expression of exasperation’, and that ‘staff decided to stay together until management arrived’.
According to the publication, agents had gathered in the auditorium at around 10:30am for talks with the museum’s leadership.
‘All roles related to visitor reception are affected,’ said Sefian. ‘Overcrowding and understaffing are the main issues being raised.’
At midday, the museum’s gates remained shut with no further explanation provided to the visitors in line besides citing an ’emergency meeting’. Some ticket-holders reportedly left the queue out of frustation, which created a false impression that the line was moving.
At the time, an official message posted on the Louvre’s website stated: ‘Due to strikes in France, the museum may open later and some exhibition rooms may remain closed. We thank you for your understanding.’
It is believed that the Louvre reopened on Monday afternoon. However, it was not clear to what extent the museum was operating on.
In January, as per Independent UK, Louvre President Laurence des Cars wrote a letter warning the French Culture Minister Rachida Dati that the centuries-old building is in a dire state, including water leaks, temperature swings, outdated facilities and a lack of space for visitors.
Shortly after, French President Emmanuel Macron announced a major renovation and expansion of the musuem – a project that would take up to a decade to complete, reported AP News.
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Picture: @TheTorontoSun / X
