The Palace of Versailles has been evacuated and a security operation is underway after reports that a dispute between two street vendors escalated when one of them pulled a knife.
Officials warned visitors to leave the area, saying: ‘There is an intervention underway at the Palace of Versailles.
“Security services are on site. Avoid the area and follow the instructions of the authorities. Do not give false information.”
Sources told French daily Le Figaro that a vendor fled the premises with a knife, but the information has not yet been verified.
France’s elite police unit GIGN was sent to the scene of the crime and images shared on social media showed heavily armed units surrounding the palace.
However, there is no information yet that indicates that the incident is terror-related.
This is a breaking news story. More to come…
The French elite police unit GIGN was sent to the scene of the crime and images shared on social media showed heavily armed units surrounding the palace
Officials warned visitors to leave the area and said: ‘There is an intervention underway at the Palace of Versailles’
The Palace of Versailles has been evacuated and a security operation is underway following reports that a dispute between two street vendors escalated when one of them pulled a knife
Sources told French daily Le Figaro that a vendor fled the premises with a knife in his hand, but the information has yet to be verified.
Witnesses outside said they were queuing to enter the building when it was evacuated and saw security forces entering.
The palace, located about 19 kilometers west of Paris, is a former royal residence with a rich history. It welcomes around 15 million visitors each year.
It was built in the 17th century by order of King Louis XIV and it was here that the Treaty of Versailles was signed in June 1919, formally ending the First World War.
The incident comes in the run-up to the second round of the French parliamentary elections, which will take place on Sunday, July 7, and the Olympic Games to be held in Paris this summer.