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2d ago

Paris Tribunal Gives Suspended Sentence to Man Who Lit Cigarette With Eternal Flame

Demand for permit revocation comes after officials called the viral stunt an affront to the memory of France’s fallen soldiers.

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L'homme de 47 ans comparaissait pour «violation de sépulture, tombeau, urne cinéraire ou monument édifié à la mémoire des morts».
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La flamme du Soldat inconnu, en février 2021.

Overview

  • A Paris correctional tribunal on August 8 sentenced the 47-year-old to three months in prison with an 18-month suspended term for violation de sépulture.
  • Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau and Minister Patricia Mirallès have formally requested the revocation of his residence permit following their public condemnation.
  • Footage of the brief act under the Arc de Triomphe spread rapidly on X and TikTok, igniting widespread public indignation.
  • Prosecutors leveraged rapid comparution immédiate procedures under laws against desecrating sepultures, which carry penalties of up to one year’s imprisonment and a €15,000 fine.
  • Defense arguments highlighted the defendant’s psychiatric history and substance use, factors the tribunal cited in its decision to suspend part of the sentence.