Paris train station partly evacuated after inactive explosive shell discovered

Police officials in Paris on November 29 partly evacuated the busy Gare Du Nord train station after a reported explosive device was found hidden inside an unattended bag. According to an international media outlet, the shell was found as part of a random check at the station, which serves as a stop for the Eurostar from London, the Thalys from Belgium, Germany and Netherlands, four suburban train lines, and two busy Paris metros. 

After the discovery of the inactive explosive shell, the passengers were forced to wait outside the station for approximately 40 minutes, however, the departures were only temporarily disrupted before being resumed later. A spokesperson from SNFC, France's national state-owned railway company, while talking to international media outlet said that the man arrested was a soldier and the unverified images of the device, resembling a mortar shell which has been doing the rounds on social media was a non-explosive dummy round used by the military for training. 

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Protest against 'femicide'

Meanwhile, Paris on November 24 saw the biggest march against gender violence in the history of France. Thousands of people organised mass demonstrations in France to urge the Government to take serious action against gender violence and femicide. France President Emmanuel Macron earlier during his speech described the issue of domestic violence as “France shame”. In the past, France has witnessed protests for women’s rights and gender equality and marked the wave of feminism. It has always been considered a progressive nation yet it has the highest number of cases for gender-based violence. 

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The march was organised in Paris and mainly saw women participants. Currently, there are 30 protests that are being organised across France with the help of 70 organisations, political parties, several associations, and unions. The capital city of France witnessed several protesters waving purple flags and holding placards marching through the Place de la Republique during the mass campaign to denounce violence against women at the same time pay tribute to about 130 women who were killed by their spouse or partner.

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