Louvre burglary sparks outrage, critics blame 'diversity hires' for the 'theft of the decade'

The Louvre burglary has blown open a fierce public row in France, with critics arguing that the audacious burglary was made possible because of "diversity hires," a barb reminiscent of US President Donald Trump. On Sunday (Oct 19), four masked burglars pulled off what officials called the "theft of the decade," stealing priceless jewellery tied to Napoleon’s family. Investigators are still hunting the suspects and say they have not ruled anything out, including an inside job, though the evidence currently points to organised crime.

Lourve museum's security shortcomings revealed

The theft has exposed long-running concerns about museum security. Dominique Buffin, 46, who was appointed last September as the Louvre’s first female head of security, has become a target with critics accusing the museum of prioritising optics over competence, and calling for her resignation.

Marion Maréchal, an MEP (Member of the European Parliament) and niece of Marine Le Pen, has labelled the incident "ridiculous" and said the museum’s director, Laurence Des Cars, should also step down. She said that the burglary has made France the "laughing stock of the world". She alleged that Cars and Buffin were only hired as "part of a feminisation policy," and must be asked to resign. On X, she said that the Culture Minister Rachida Dati "must demand the immediate resignation of the museum’s director Laurence Des Cars and the security chief Dominique Buffin, whom she appointed – Le Monde was delighted – as part of a feminisation policy."

"Evidently at the cost of forgoing competence and endangering the cultural heritage of our Nation," she alleged.

Meanwhile, National Rally leaders described the theft as a wound to France’s soul and an "intolerable humiliation," while the justice minister said the incident painted a terrible image of the country where thieves could just “grab priceless jewels”. Talking to Inter Radio, Gérald Darmanin, the Justice minister, said: "What is certain is that we have failed, since people were able to park a furniture hoist in the middle of Paris, get people up it in several minutes to grab priceless jewels, and give France a terrible image."