Alyssa Harvey
Staff Writer
The Pont des Arts bridge over the Seine River in Paris was evacuated and closed on Sunday, June 8th after a side collapsed from the weight of all the padlocks on it. No one was hurt and the bridge reopened on Monday with wooden panels replacing the fallen metal grid sides.
The Pont des Arts is famous for attracting couples from all over the world who place “lockets of love” decorated with their names on any surface available on the bridge. The lovers usually then throw the keys into the river symbolizing “everlasting love.”
Last month, Anne Hidalgo the mayor of Paris, wanted citizens to “open a debate around the phenomenon of ‘love locks’ with a view of finding alternatives.” The “love locks” have been appearing all over Paris and even on the Eiffel Tower. Local Parisians have started petitions about how the bridge has become an eyesore and that the river is becoming polluted from all the keys. Officials are currently looking for alternatives to protect the historic bridge.
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