Eiffel Tower knifeman held by police amid terror fears Published duration 6 August 2017 Related Topics November 2015 Paris attacks

image copyright EPA

A man is being held by police in Paris after he tried to force his way into the Eiffel Tower brandishing a knife.

He was "very quickly overpowered and arrested" and no-one was hurt, the company that runs the landmark said.

France has been under a state of emergency since the November 2015 attacks in the capital that left 130 people dead.

The incident at the Eiffel tower happened at 23:30 pm (21:30 GMT) on Saturday night.

After the arrest, police evacuated the tower.

The detained man, wearing a Paris Saint-Germain football shirt, shouted "Allahu Akbar" - God is greatest - as he broke through security, a source told AFP news agency.

The tower was lit up with PSG's team colours and hosted a screen displaying a message welcoming Brazilian star Neymar to the club.

French prosecutors have opened a counter-terrorism investigation because of the suspect's statements to police and his apparent radicalisation.

The unnamed source said the knifeman was aged about 19 and had a history of psychological problems.