Viral video shows man lighting cigarette from Paris' eternal flame
A man in Paris is facing legal action and possible expulsion from France after he lit his cigarette from the country's eternal flame at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. The incident took place beneath the Arc de Triomphe, a site that honors soldiers who died for France.
The man, identified as a 47-year-old Moroccan immigrant, was caught on video stepping over a chain barrier and bending toward the flame. Tourists were nearby, and some filmed the moment. The footage quickly spread on social media, drawing sharp criticism from politicians and veterans' groups.
French police arrested him soon after the video appeared online. He has been charged with violating a war memorial, which is a criminal offense in France.
The man has been handed a three-month suspended sentence, according to Ireland's National Public Service Multi-Media Organisation, Raidió Teilifís Éireann. As per the report, admitted his actions during an expedited trial, describing his behavior as "the stupidity of the century.
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France's Interior Minister, Bruno Retailleau, condemned the act on social media, calling it 'unworthy and deplorable.' He said it insulted the memory of those who had fought and died for the country.
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The French daily
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reported that the man was already known to police. He has been in trouble before. The interior ministry has announced that his residency permit will be revoked. This move could lead to his deportation to Morocco.
The significance of The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier beneath Paris's Arc de Triomphe is one of France's most important symbols of remembrance. It honors all soldiers who gave their lives for the nation in World War I but whose identities were never known.
The idea was first proposed in 1916, while the war was still raging and its outcome uncertain.
On November 12, 1919, one year and a day after the armistice, the concept received formal recognition. Officials decided that the chosen soldier's remains would be placed in the Panthéon, the grand resting place of France's most celebrated citizens.
However, the public felt the memorial should be more accessible and visible.
After a large-scale letter-writing campaign, the government agreed to bury the Unknown Soldier at the base of the Arc de Triomphe, a central monument already associated with French military triumph and sacrifice.
The Arc de Triomphe stands at the heart of Paris, where twelve grand avenues converge, making it a focal point of national ceremonies. Beneath it, the Unknown Soldier came to represent every soldier who never returned home.
In 1923, the eternal flame was lit at the tomb. It burns without interruption, representing the nation's unending gratitude and the enduring memory of the fallen. The flame is rekindled each evening in a solemn ritual attended by veterans and officials.
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