No one has yet claimed responsibility for today’s attacks on the French high-speed rail network, but given their scale and precision, it is clear they are more than just random acts of vandalism.
Axel Persson, the leader of the CGT rail union, said that the perpetrators appeared to have had “precise information” and an extensive knowledge of the network.
There are many possible culprits – the opening day of the Olympic Games is a tempting target for anyone seeking to cause chaos and disruption in the limelight. Here are some of the possible theories:
Civil disobedience? Intelligence services pointed out that “these methods have been used by the far left in the past,” but said that “there is no evidence to tie today’s actions to them.”
France is also no stranger to strikes and political demonstrations and protesters have in the past blocked transport links across France. The parliamentary election held just weeks ago attracted large scale protests and rallies. However, such protests tend to be announced in advance and those behind them are keen to make their cause known.
Persson acknowledged that it could have been a railway worker or someone involved in the construction of the tracks, but added that industrial espionage shouldn’t be excluded.
Climate protests? Environmental activists have in the past blocked traffic to bring attention to the climate crisis. But these groups have mostly focused on fossil-fuel intensive transportation, such as on airports and highways. And they too wanted people to know it was them who did it.
Foreign suspects? France has been among the countries impacted by a recent wave of suspected Russian sabotage attacks against infrastructure and other targets. France itself has experienced cyber attacks against several government agencies which officials said were possibly linked to Russia. Russia has not responded to the allegations.
Earlier this week, French authorities detained a Russian citizen in Paris, accusing him of preparing destabilizing events during the Olympics. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Russia did not have any information on the arrest.