Part of Paris Bridge Collapses Under Weight of Love Locks

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Love locks fixed on the Pont des Arts in Paris, photographed on April 9, 2014.

Image: Thibault Camus/Associated Press

By Jessica Plautz2014-06-09 17:19:09 UTC

A five-foot piece of railing on the Pont des Arts bridge in Paris collapsed Sunday night under the weight of "love locks," padlocks attached to the bridge by couples as a display of their everlasting love. Hopefully the couples who attached these locks have relationships stronger than bridge railings.

Although the bridge remains intact, the railing on the section was brought down by what appear to be thousands of padlocks. Luckily, the railing and locks fell onto the bridge and not into the river below. No injuries were reported.

See also: New York City Tells Couples to Take Their 'Love Locks' Somewhere Else

A campaign to end the practice of attaching love locks is already underway. Two American expats started the "No Love Locks" campaign in January of this year, collecting thousands of signatures from Paris residents who do not believe the locks should be allowed.

The collapse of the railing is likely to add fuel to the fire, as hopeless romantics argue that the locks should be allowed.

The Pont des Arts bridge was closed after the collapse, with repairs underway on Monday.

The love lock craze began on this particular bridge in 2008. Since then, locks have also been added to other bridges over the Seine.

In April, a rumor began circulating that the Pont des Arts could potentially collapse because of the weights, according to The Independent . However, Paris officials said that repairs at the time were routine and not a response to any structural threat.

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Topics: Lifestyle, love locks, Paris, travel, Travel & Leisure, World