A French adventure park manager who blocked 150 Israeli children and teenagers from entering his facility is facing mounting scrutiny after repeatedly changing his explanation for the closure.
The Tyrovol zip-line park in Porté-Puymorens, near the France-Spain-Andorra border, reopened Saturday after being shut for two days, but its director, 52-year-old Floran Schaak, remained in police custody. He is expected to appear before a judge.
The Tyrovol zip-line park in Porté-Puymorens
(Video: Tyrovol)
Initially, the park’s Facebook page claimed the closure was due to “safety inspections following a storm.” “Because of the storm, the park will be closed Thursday to carry out a full inspection of the facilities,” the post read. An employee later echoed that explanation to French broadcaster TF1, saying: “It was raining, there was a storm. We don’t take risks. This isn’t racism or antisemitism.”
But media reports said Schaak offered a different version during questioning, denying any anti-Israeli motive and instead pointing to “a bad experience” with Israeli guests last year. He allegedly told investigators that language barriers had made it difficult for them to follow safety instructions, and he feared similar problems if the new group was admitted.
Earlier reports suggested Schaak had invoked his “personal principles” when refusing entry. He was arrested on suspicion of “refusal of service or transaction based on religious discrimination,” though he denies the charge.
The group of Israelis, ages 8 to 16, had booked tickets months in advance as part of a summer camp in Spain. Instead of riding 12 zip lines stretching 2,000 meters through the Pyrenees, they were redirected to another park 50 kilometers away before returning to Spain.
The case has triggered political outrage. French Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau condemned the incident, saying: “This is not our vision of the republic or of respect for human dignity. We cannot let such behavior pass.”
In Porté-Puymorens, locals said they were embarrassed and worried the controversy was unfairly tainting their town. “We’re receiving threatening emails, though we had nothing to do with this,” one resident told reporters. The mayor added, “The DNA of our community is solidarity and coexistence. We will always be a place that welcomes everyone.”