Mass Evacuations in Paris as Authorities Hunt for Potential Explosives

A wave of anonymous bomb threats sparked mass evacuations across several high-profile locations in the French capital on Friday evening, February 20, 2026. Security forces were placed on high alert as authorities scrambled to clear major landmarks and educational institutions following reports of explosive devices.

According to RT Arabic and the French news channel BFMTV, the evacuations targeted several key sites, including the prestigious Sciences Po (Paris Institute of Political Studies) and the Montparnasse Tower, one of the city’s tallest skyscrapers. The alerts were received around 6:00 PM local time, prompting immediate police intervention and the deployment of specialized K9 units to search for potential hazards.

Eiffel Tower Stays Open

In a surprising development reported by Le Figaro, management at the Eiffel Tower reportedly declined to follow the evacuation protocol, despite the landmark being named in the threats. While other institutions cleared their premises as a precaution, the "Iron Lady" remained open to visitors. Security sources have not yet clarified why the landmark chose to stay operational while neighboring sites were shut down.

Widespread Disruption

The threats caused significant disruption across the city, leading to traffic closures and a heavy security presence in the affected districts. These incidents come amid a period of heightened international tension, with several European capitals increasing their security posture in response to vague threats against public infrastructure.

As of Saturday morning, February 21, no explosive devices have been found. Parisian detectives have opened a formal investigation into the origin of the messages, citing "threats to lives" and "falsely claiming a dangerous event." Authorities have warned that those responsible for such hoaxes face up to two years in prison under French law.