A man was detained after he climbed the Eiffel Tower and raised an American flag.

A man was apprehended on Saturday afternoon after climbing the Eiffel Tower, waving an American flag between the second and third floors. The incident occurred around 3:45 PM and led to the evacuation of the esplanade and the upper floors of the monument, according to police sources cited by AFP.

The man was caught as he was reaching the third floor, without offering any explanation for his actions. He was detained for 'endangering the lives of others' and taken to the police station in the 7th arrondissement of Paris. The American flag was removed by the Intervention and Protection Group of the Directorate for Public Order and Traffic. The incident coincided with the celebration of the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence of the United States.