A Moroccan individual is facing the revocation of his French residency permit after being recorded lighting a cigarette at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, a revered war memorial.
This grave, located beneath the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, serves as the resting place for an unidentified World War I soldier and symbolizes a tribute to all French soldiers.
Since November 11, 1920, the site has held significant importance. Two years after its establishment, Gabriel Boissy, a journalist and poet, proposed the idea of the Flame of Remembrance. This eternal flame was first lit on November 11, 1923, and has remained continuously alight.
While the site attracts numerous visitors year-round, a recent incident caught attention when a visitor crossed into a restricted area and appeared to use the Flame of Remembrance to ignite a cigarette.
The footage of this act quickly spread online, drawing the attention of officials, including Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau.
Retailleau confirmed the arrest of the individual in a statement.
On Twitter, he explained (translated), “The man who desecrated the tomb of the Unknown Soldier by lighting a cigarette with the eternal 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 to the facts. Following the report made by the Police Prefect (Article 40 of the CPP), he will be brought before the courts. This unworthy and deplorable act undermines the memory of those who died for France.”
As reported by Politico, the interior ministry disclosed that the 47-year-old’s residency permit in France will be rescinded due to his actions.
Le Figaro, a local publication, noted that the Moroccan man was already known to law enforcement and had prior infractions.
Patricia Miralles, the deputy minister for Memory and Veterans’ Affairs, expressed her disapproval.
She stated on Twitter, “Walking on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. 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.”