Overview

• The 47-year-old suspect scaled the chains at the Arc de Triomphe on August 6, lighting a cigarette from the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier’s eternal flame in front of onlookers.
• A Latvian tourist’s recording of the deliberate gesture circulated widely on TikTok and other platforms, fueling public outcry.
• Officials detained the Moroccan national near Avenue de la Grande Armée and have charged him under article 225-17 of the penal code for violating a war memorial.
• Under the statute, he risks up to one year behind bars and a €15,000 fine for profanation of a tomb.
• Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau is considering revoking the man’s residency permit, supplementing condemnation from Veterans Minister Patricia Mirallès and Paris Prefect Laurent Nunez.