President Trump isnât the only leader who says he wants to build a wall, and this wall is just as controversial.The French government is constructing an 8.2-foot-high bulletproof glass enclosure around the base of the Eiffel Tower to protect the iconic structure from a terrorist attack.
But many French are offended by what they describe as a tasteless design that will be an eyesore.âItâs pure madness!â says Bernard Thiebaut, a retired electrical engineer who lives in Paris. âItâs not just a physical barrier, itâs also a philosophical and a psychological barrier.
âAfter a public uproar over the $20 million project approved last month by the Paris City Council, Deputy Mayor Jean-Francois Martins defended the plan.âThe terror threat remains high in Paris, and the most vulnerable sites, led by the Eiffel Tower, must be the object of special security measures,â Martins said.
He added that the glass wall would allow full view of the tower while preventing people or vehicles from storming the attraction, which draws about 6 million visitors a year.Critics say the wall, which is set to go up in the fall, could undermine the French capitalâs tourism industry. Itâs already in a slump after a series of terrorist attacks that have killed more than 200 people since 2015.
Sourece: USA Today