Iconic tourist destination closes unexpectedly, with thousands left waiting outside
The Louvre shuts its doors amid fears of overcrowding
- The Louvre Museum in Paris was unable to open on time on Monday due to a staff protest over working conditions, leaving thousands of visitors waiting outside.
- Union representative Sarah Sefian of the CGT-Culture stated the disruption was due to a spontaneous movement among front-of-house staff protesting deteriorating labour conditions, including overcrowding and understaffing.
- The protest began as a scheduled monthly information session that turned into a mass expression of exasperation, with staff deciding to stay together until management arrived for talks.
- As of midday, the museum remained closed, with lines of ticket-holders snaking past the glass pyramid.
- Louvre President Laurence des Cars earlier warned about overcrowding and insufficient facilities at the museum and has imposed a limit of 30,000 visitors per day.