The Palace of Versailles has been evacuated and a security operation is underway amid reports that a dispute between two street vendors escalated when one pulled out a knife.
Authorities warned visitors to clear the area and said: “An intervention is underway at the Palace of Versailles.”
‘Security forces are on site. Please avoid the area and follow the instructions of the authorities. Do not spread false information.’
Sources told French outlet Le Figaro that a vendor was seen fleeing the scene with a knife in his hand, but the report has not yet been verified.
The French police’s elite tactical unit GIGN was sent to the scene and images were shared on social media showing heavily armed units surrounding the palace.
But so far there is no information to suggest that the incident is related to terrorism.
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French police’s elite tactical unit GIGN was dispatched to the scene with images shared on social media showing heavily armed units surrounding the Palace.
Authorities warned visitors to evacuate the area and said: “An intervention is underway at the Palace of Versailles.”
The Palace of Versailles has been evacuated and a security operation is underway amid reports that a dispute between two street vendors escalated when one pulled out a knife.
Sources told French outlet Le Figaro that a vendor was seen fleeing the scene clutching a knife, but the report has not yet been verified.
Witnesses outside said they had been 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 steeped in history that receives around 15 million visitors each year.
It was commissioned by King Louis XIV in the 17th century and is where the Treaty of Versailles was signed in June 1919, formally ending the First World War.
The incident comes on the eve of the second round of French parliamentary elections scheduled for Sunday 7 July and the Olympic Games this summer in Paris.
