On Monday 4 August 2025, Paris was the scene of a controversial episode that quickly made the rounds of social networks and media. A man was seen to light up a cigarette using the flame placed on the tomb of the unknown soldier, under the triumphal arch. The scene, which lasted only a few moments, was resumed with a smartphone by a Latvian tourist and published on Tiktok. The video, just over eight seconds, has exceeded a million views in a few hours, unleashing indignation and official reactions throughout France.
In the movie, which shows the area at the foot of the Arco di Trionfo, the man climbers the chains that delimit the tomb of the unknown soldier and kneels to bring the cigarette closer to the famous Flamme étermelle. Immediately after, he walks away without showing hesitation. Those present, according to several witnesses, limited themselves to observing. The Paris police, alerted by rapid word of mouth and the online clamor generated by the video, identified and arrested the man a few hours after publication.
Identity and accusations against the manager
The arrested man is a 47 -year -old of Moroccan nationality, homeless but with a residence permit valid until October 2025. He was already known to the police. After a first attempt to deny everything, he recognized the facts before the agents in charge of the case. He was immediately placed in a stop on the charge of having violated and profaned a tomb, a cinerary urn or a monument erected in memory of the deceased. The Corsera, quoting Le Figaro, says that the French government will put the man’s residence permit back “Known by the police and with numerous criminal records including car theft, damage, violence or public injury due to the breed”.
It was not under the influence of alcohol or drugs
Several present reported that the man, throughout the episode, did not seem altered at all. “He was clearly aware of what he was doing and proud to have done so,” said the woman who resumed everything with the phone. Even according to the police, elements that make you think of the abuse of alcohol or substances were not results. This detail was confirmed in the early stages of the investigation, started immediately after the arrest.
The reactions of the French institutions
The incident has pushed many public figures to intervene on social media and in the media. Patricia Mirallès, ministry delegated to memory and veterans, spoke of “indecent and unacceptable act” and announced judicial initiatives against the 47 -year -old. Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau used hard words, defining the gesture “unworthy and miserable, an outrage to those who died for France”. Even the prefect of Paris, Laurent Nunez, expressed himself by saying: “An inadmissible gesture”, thanking the colleagues who allowed the fast identification of the manager.
The symbolic value of the flame and previous episodes
The flame on the tomb of the unknown milite, on for the first time on 11 November 1923, is revived every day at 18.30 according to a precise protocol. The monument represents the memory of the soldiers who fell for France during the First World War. Over the years, there have been no other episodes of non -compliance, such as those related to the protests of the yellow Gilé in 2018. After the episode of 4 August 2025, the Prosecutor has started an investigation against the man, who now risks up to a year of imprisonment and a fine of 15,000 euros.
The reaction of the company and the online debate
The gesture triggered a wave of collective indignation, amplified by shares on social media. In the video published on Tiktok, who made the rounds of stations such as Châtelet or Opéra, many users heavily criticized the indifference of those present during the episode. Even the deputy Matthieu Valent, spokesman for the Rassemblement National, wrote on X: “This gesture stains the memory of our soldiers who poured the blood for our freedom”. Public attention remains high, while the story continues on the judicial level.
The article lights up the cigarette and scarves the unknown soldier: guess who the crowd is? It comes from TheVermilion.com.