Olympics threaten to erase a symbol of Paris, say riverside booksellers

A person walks past a bookseller called "Bouquinistes" stalls along the banks of the River Seine in Paris, France, July 29, 2023. REUTERS/Benoit Tessier

PARIS (Reuters) - Booksellers along the river Seine say the Olympics threaten to erase a symbol of Paris, after they were told by local authorities that they will have to remove their stalls for the Summer Games opening ceremony in 2024 for security reasons.

Around 570 of the famous old stalls that line the river in the capital need to be dismantled and moved, or almost 60% of the riverside booksellers, according to the city authorities.