The padlocks damaged Paris's "bridge of love"

Paris - Sometimes too much love can be harmful, as the authorities in the French capital, Paris, found out. On Sunday, they had to evacuate the "bridge of love," where lovers come to lock a padlock together to seal their love. A part of the railing could not bear the weight of thousands of locks and collapsed, AFP reported today.
Thousands of lovers from all over the world come to the Pont des Arts bridge every year, and after locking a padlock with their names, they throw the key into the Seine. However, on Sunday evening, the police had to quickly clear the bridge as about 2.4 meters of railing collapsed.
"The bridge was immediately evacuated and closed," said one of the police officers who wished to remain anonymous. Local officials and an architect rushed to the scene to assess the damage. The bridge is expected to be reopened to the public today.
The Pont des Arts bridge spans the Seine in front of the Louvre museum, and the phenomenon of "love locks" on it causes significant headaches for the authorities. The weight of the locks can pose a safety risk, and additionally, the railing adorned with clusters of rusting padlocks does not look aesthetically pleasing.
The same trend has meanwhile spread to Germany, Russia, China, and especially Italy. In Paris itself, it has already begun to spread to other bridges, and the police had previously removed about forty locks from the Eiffel Tower.