Louvre Workers Extend Strike Amid Security Fallout From Crown Jewels Heist

Workers at Paris’s iconic Louvre museum have extended their strike, bringing the world’s most visited cultural institution to a standstill amid a backdrop of understaffing, building decay and a high‑profile crown jewels robbery that exposed serious security gaps.

Strike Extends Amid Staff Grievances

Employees at the Louvre Museum voted Wednesday to extend a strike that has disrupted operations at the world’s most visited museum. The decision came during a morning general assembly after workers had adopted the walkout unanimously earlier this week. The museum was already closed Tuesday for its regular weekly shutdown, and it remained unclear whether the strike would force a full closure on Wednesday. Visitors holding tickets queued outside the museum in the morning as management assessed staffing levels and whether enough employees were available to safely open galleries.

Security Fallout from October Heist

Union workers were protesting chronic understaffing, building deterioration and recent management decisions — pressures intensified by a brazen crown jewels heist in October. The theft of crown jewels during a daylight robbery exposed serious security lapses at the museum. Culture Ministry officials held crisis talks with unions Monday and proposed to cancel a planned $6.7 million cut in 2026 funding, open new recruitment for gallery guards and visitor services, and increase staff compensation. Union officials said the measures fell short.

Government Response and Leadership Scrutiny

Louvre President Laurence des Cars was scheduled to appear before the Senate’s culture committee later Wednesday as lawmakers continue probing security failures at the museum. Des Cars has acknowledged an “institutional failure” following the heist but has come under renewed scrutiny after admitting she only learned of a critical 2019 security audit after the robbery. France’s Court of Auditors and a separate administrative inquiry have since criticized delays in implementing a long‑promised security overhaul.

The Culture Ministry announced emergency anti‑intrusion measures last month and assigned Philippe Jost, who oversaw the Notre Dame restoration, to help reorganize the museum. The move was widely seen as a sign of mounting pressure on Louvre leadership.

Key Takeaways

• Employees voted Wednesday to extend the strike, halting operations at the Louvre.
• The strike stems from understaffing, building deterioration and fallout from the October crown jewels robbery.
• The Culture Ministry proposed reversing a $6.7 million funding cut, new guard recruitment, and higher pay, but unions deemed the offer insufficient.

The strike and security controversy underscore deep challenges at the Louvre, prompting government action and leadership scrutiny as the museum grapples with both internal and external pressures.