France has taken swift action against a Moroccan man who sparked outrage by desecrating the war memorial beneath the Arc de Triomphe in Paris.
The 47-year-old Moroccan man was caught on camera kneeling by the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and using its eternal flame to light his cigarette.
Video of the incident quickly went viral on social media.
WATCH:
🚨🇫🇷🪦🚬 ALERTE INFO | L’homme qui a ALLUMÉ SA CIGARETTE sur la flamme de la TOMBE du Soldat inconnu, sous l’Arc de Triomphe à Paris, a été INTERPELLÉ, placé en GAV et sera présenté à la JUSTICE, a annoncé Bruno Retailleau. (X) pic.twitter.com/xTIShBd0rI
— Impact (@ImpactMediaFR) August 5, 2025
This incident, which was widely condemned, led to the man’s arrest.
French government officials have now confirmed the stripping of his residency permit.
Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau denounced the man’s actions as “indecent and pathetic.”
Retailleau confirmed that he had been arrested for violating a burial site, tomb, urn, or monument dedicated to the memory of the deceased.
The man reportedly admitted to the offense after his arrest.
In a statement on X, Retailleau wrote:
“The man who desecrated the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier by lighting a cigarette with the memorial flame was arrested in Paris for violating a burial site, tomb, urn, or monument erected in memory of the dead.
“He was taken into custody and admitted the facts.”
On Wednesday, France’s Interior Ministry confirmed that the man had been stripped of his residency permit, with Politico reporting the decision.
The Unknown Soldier War Memorial, which includes a flame and the tomb of a soldier who died during World War I, is one of France’s most iconic sites.
The memorial is located beneath the famous Arc de Triomphe in Paris.
The incident, which was captured on video, shows the man kneeling beside the memorial, which is typically off-limits to visitors.
He can be seen leaning over the flame and lighting his cigarette before walking away, as stunned tourists look on.
The man was reportedly known to police.
It has been confirmed that he had legal status in France, which has now been revoked.
Patricia Miralles, the deputy minister for Memory and Veterans’ Affairs, expressed her outrage over the incident.
“Walking on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier,” Miralles wrote on X.
“Lighting his cigarette with the eternal flame.
“This is not a mere misstep: it is a desecration.
“France will never tolerate the tarnishing of the memory of those who died for her. Never.”
The incident has sparked a national debate in France about respect for its war memorials and the consequences of disrespecting such significant symbols of national history.
READ MORE – FDA Approves Jeff Bezos’ Lab-Grown Fake ‘Fish’ for U.S Food Supply Without Safety Data
Our comment section is restricted to members of the Slay News community only.
To join, create a free account HERE.
If you are already a member, log in HERE.