A 30-year-old man was arrested in Paris on August 5, 2025, after reportedly lighting a cigarette using the eternal flame at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier beneath the Arc de Triomphe . The memorial flame is a solemn symbol of national remembrance, continuously rekindled to honor fallen French soldiers.
According to French police, the incident occurred when the individual approached the site and ignited a cigarette directly from the flame. Authorities promptly detained him, describing the act as a serious desecration of a revered national monument .
The eternal flame is maintained each evening by veteran associations and serves as a powerful emblem of collective memory and respect for those who died in wartime. Acts of disrespect and vandalism at this memorial are met with stern legal consequences to protect its symbolic integrity.
Legal proceedings are underway, and the man may face charges related to public order offences or disrespecting a national monument.