Eiffel Tower closed during walkout over pickpockets

The Eiffel Tower closed to the public for most of the day yesterday as staff protested over a rise in aggressive pickpockets around the Paris landmark.

The walkout came a day after city authorities announced that crime against tourists in the French capital had dropped this year thanks to reinforced police presence and video surveillance.

The tower did not open yesterday morning because staff were concerned about petty crime around the site. Clusters of tourists streamed beneath the tower, unable to reach its viewing platforms.