Source: The Guardian, May 9
The path of true love for tourists in Paris has often involved a stroll across the Pont des Arts and the attachment of a “love lock” to its railings. The key is then thrown into the river Seine.
But the celebrated bridge had to be evacuated at the weekend after part of the railing collapsed under the weight of love locks attached to it.
Police ordered visitors to leave and closed the footbridge after a 2.4-metre section of railing broke loose.
Since the phenomenon began in 2008 it has become a headache for city officials. Not only is the full 150-metre Pont des Arts covered in locks, but visiting lovebirds have targeted other bridges in the French capital. Forty locks are reported to have been removed from the Eiffel tower.
Paris authorities cannot say they were not warned. In 2010 concerns were expressed about the locks, which disappeared from the bridge one night but were later found to have been removed by an art student who had turned them into a sculpture.
Eric Koch’s new book, New Beginnings, was launched on September 20. The book is available from 
How romantic is couple-love being represented by a padlock?
the locks are all over. I saw stacks of them (shaped like Christmas trees) in Seoul. Here’s a global collection: http://icepice.blogspot.ca/2010/11/love-locks-symbol-of-love-luck-12-pics.html . I take the lock as commitment not slavery - and it’s bilateral.