Unwise Actions Lead to Imprisonment: Individual Sentenced to Three Months in Prison with Probation for Igniting Cigarette with Flame of Unknown Soldier's Tomb
In August 2025, a shocking incident unfolded under the Arc de Triomphe, at the end of the Champs-Élysées Avenue, when a man was caught lighting a cigarette from the eternal flame at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
The act, described as "disgusting" and "silly," quickly went viral on social media, sparking outrage across France. The Interior Minister, Gerald Darmanin, called the act "indecent and pathetic," while the Minister for Veterans and Remembrance, Patricia Miralles, stated that this act insulted the memory of the dead, the nation’s history, and French remembrance traditions.
The offense is taken very seriously because the flame symbolizes the sacrifice of millions of soldiers, and desecrating it is seen as an insult to the dead and national honor. The man, identified as Hakim H., admitted to the actions during his custody and was charged with violating the burial site law.
Hakim H., a construction worker who arrived in France in 1987 and is a father of four, expressed regret and apologies for his actions during the court hearing. A psychological expertise conducted after the incident revealed polyaddiction, alcohol addiction, ADHD, and bipolar mood disorders in Hakim H. The acts committed by him, which included jumping over barriers, walking on the sepulcher, and using the flame of remembrance as a lighter, were found to "fall within the scope of these disorders" according to the expertise.
The prosecutor argued that the consumption of psychotropic drugs does not diminish the lucidity of the defendant. As a result, Hakim H. was sentenced to three months in prison, suspended for eighteen months. He was also ordered to pay 1 euro in symbolic damages to the Centre des monuments nationaux.
X. Bruno Retailleau, a member of the French Parliament, had announced that he wanted to withdraw the residence permit of this Moroccan national, but this request was not mentioned in court this Friday.
It is important to note that lighting a cigarette on this memorial flame is a legal violation punishable by imprisonment and fines. Offenders will be arrested, prosecuted, and may face additional administrative consequences such as revocation of residency status. This incident serves as a stark reminder of the deep respect and reverence that the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and all war memorials deserve.
Politicians condemned the act of lighting a cigarette from the eternal flame at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, viewing it as a legal violation and an insult to France's history and memory of the dead. The man, Hakim H., who committed this act, was charged with violating the burial site law and faced criminal charges, as his actions were found to be associated with his polyaddiction, alcohol addiction, ADHD, and bipolar mood disorders.
