Paris, France – A 32-year-old man, identified as Karim D., was arrested Tuesday afternoon after a video circulated widely on social media showing him using the eternal flame at the Arc de Triomphe to light a cigarette Monday evening.
The incident, captured by Latvian tourist Edgars Ozols and initially posted to TikTok, depicts the man casually stooping to ignite his cigarette from the flame honoring the Tomb of the unknown Soldier. He then calmly walks away.
paris police confirmed the arrest, stating Karim D. was taken into custody for violating regulations concerning burial sites and monuments. He reportedly confessed to the act during questioning.
French Interior Minister Bruno retailleau condemned the act as “indecent and pathetic,” announcing the arrest on X (formerly twitter). “The man who desecrated the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier by lighting a cigarette with the memorial flame was arrested in Paris… He was taken into custody and admitted the facts,” retailleau stated.
The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, inaugurated in 1920 beneath the Arc de Triomphe in the Place Charles de Gaulle, holds the remains of an unidentified French soldier killed during World War I. It serves as a national symbol of remembrance for all French soldiers who have died in combat.
Patricia Miralles, france’s Minister for Veterans and Remembrance, also expressed outrage, stating she had filed a complaint with the Paris public prosecutor’s office. “This flame does not light a cigarette, it burns for the sacrifice of millions of our soldiers,” Miralles wrote on X. “This is an insult to our dead, to our history and to our nation.”
According to Le Figaro,Ozols,the Latvian tourist who filmed the incident,stated that karim D.did not appear intoxicated and seemed fully aware of his actions. Ozols was visiting Paris as part of a backpacking trip across Europe.
The incident has sparked widespread condemnation across France,with many expressing disbelief and anger at the perceived disrespect shown to the nation’s war dead. The Arc de Triomphe, a landmark commissioned by Napoleon Bonaparte, sees an estimated 10 million visitors annually.
Historical Context: The eternal flame at the Arc de Triomphe is rekindled every evening at 6:30 PM by the Souvenir association, a veteran’s organization dedicated to preserving the memory of France’s fallen soldiers.The flame has been burning continuously since November 11, 1923, symbolizing the enduring gratitude of the French people.
