A man has been arrested after being filmed lighting a cigarette on the eternal flame at the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, an act that has sparked widespread outrage in France. The flame honours the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, a memorial to those who died in the First World War.
The incident was captured on video by Latvian tourists and widely shared on social media. It shows the man climbing over a barrier and using the flame to light his cigarette. Bruno Retailleau, France's interior minister, condemned the act on X, stating: 'This unworthy and deplorable act undermines the memory of those who died for France.'
Police identified the suspect as Hamdi H., a homeless man originally from Morocco. He was arrested on Tuesday evening and initially denied the allegations before confessing. He faces charges of violating a burial site, which carries a potential penalty of up to one year in prison and a €15,000 fine. Additionally, his residence permit will be revoked, leading to deportation to Morocco.
The man is a repeat offender with 21 previous incidents on his record, including car theft, vandalism, and racial violence. The tourists who filmed him said he appeared sober and 'clearly aware of what he was doing, and proud of having done it.'
The incident comes weeks after a man climbed onto Birmingham's Hall of Memory monument in a similar act of disrespect, though no damage was caused in that case.
