Police in Paris have said they are investigating the alleged “gang rape” of an Australian woman.
The 25-year-old was said to have been allegedly attacked before midnight on 19 July or in the early hours of 20 July.
Paris prosecutor’s office said an investigation has been launched into the possible gang rape.
It said the woman “took refuge” in a restaurant in the 18th district after the alleged assault and told people what had happened to her.
She was taken care of by firefighters, the prosecutor’s office added.
Local media reported the restaurant was a kebab shop.
A spokesperson for the prosecutor’s office told Sky News: “The Paris prosecutor’s office entrusted the 2nd judicial police district with an investigation into the charge of gang rape, likely to have been committed on the night of July 19 to 20, 2024.”
The incident took place just days before the 2024 Olympics are set to begin in the French capital.
Reports claimed that after seeing the woman, the restaurant owner called emergency services and she was taken to hospital.
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Other reports allege to show a video of the moment the woman fled from her attackers and pleaded for help from restaurant-goers.
Local media said that, when asked about the alleged attack, Team Australia chef de mission Anna Meares said: “Our hearts go out to the woman involved and we hope she’s being cared for and supported in the trauma that she’s experienced.”
There have so far been no arrests.
It came as the French interior minister praised police and security forces for making the Paris games safe for thousands of athletes and millions of fans despite challenges.
France’s capital is deploying around 30,000 police officers every day during the games, which run from this Friday to 11 August, with a peak of 45,000 being utilised for the opening ceremony on the Seine river on Friday night.
Interior minister Gerald Darmanin said in a note that “the largest global event that a country can organise” was “finally” here after four years of preparation, but stressed there remained unprecedented security challenges.
“Your task will not be easy,” Mr Darmanin said, in a letter posted on X.
Paris has suffered from a number of attacks from extremists, resulting in multiple fatalities, and international tensions are high because of the wars in Ukraine and Gaza.
Rather than build an Olympic park outside of the city centre with venues bunched together, like in London in 2012 or Rio de Janeiro in 2016, Paris has chosen to host many of its events in the heart the city.
About 18,000 members of the military are taking part in efforts to maintain security.
