A Moroccan man has been arrested in Paris after lighting a cigarette with the eternal flame at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier under the Arc de Triomphe—an act widely condemned as a desecration of a national symbol.
Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau confirmed the arrest on Tuesday, August 5, stating that the man had been taken into custody for “violating a burial site, tomb, urn or monument dedicated to the memory of the dead.” The man, who is reportedly homeless, admitted to the act during questioning and remains in custody.
Video footage filmed by a Latvian tourist on Monday evening shows the man walking over the tomb before lighting a cigarette from the flame, which burns in honour of French soldiers who died in war. The footage caused a public outcry online and prompted swift reactions from officials.
“This vile and disgraceful act dishonours the memory of those who died for France,” Retailleau said. Patricia Mirallès, Minister for Veterans and Remembrance, said she had referred the case to the judiciary and called for “exemplary sanctions.”
According to Le Figaro, the man was legally residing in France until October 2025 but has no fixed address. Police records show 21 prior offences, including car theft, violent conduct, and racial public insults.
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