Sawt Falasteen - Workers remove Olympic rings from Eiffel Tower -- for now

Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo has promised to build new Olympic rings and return them to the landmark as a tribute to the hugely successful Olympic Games held in July and August.

The proposition has been criticised by descendants of the tower's designer Gustave Eiffel, as well as conservation groups and many Parisians.

After initially suggesting the rings should be permanent, Hidalgo has proposed they remain on the city's best-known symbol until the next Olympics in Los Angeles in 2028.

Workers using a crane removed the 30-tonne rings from between the first and second floors of the tower during nightfall on Friday, just under four months after they were put up on June 7.

The new rings, which the International Olympic Committee is expected to pay for, would be lighter versions and less prominent, according to a deputy Paris mayor, Pierre Rabadan.

Culture Minister Rachida Dati, a longtime critic and opponent of Hidalgo, has cast doubt over the idea, saying the Socialist city leader would need to respect procedures protecting historic buildings.

Hidalgo also wants to retain the innovative cauldron placed in front of the Louvre museum as well as statues of illustrious women used during the opening ceremony.

J.AbuShaban--SF-PST