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International Business Times UK
International Business Times UK
Martin Toledo

What is the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier? Moroccan to Be Deported After Defiling French War Memorial

France Bruno Retailleau Interior Paris
Aerial photo of grass field and tomb during daytime (Credit: Gabriel Ramos/Unsplash)

A 47-year-old Moroccan national is facing deportation from France after he was caught on video lighting a cigarette using the Eternal Flame at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, located beneath the Arc de Triomphe in Paris. The incident occurred on Monday, 4 August 2025, and has sparked national outrage due to the sacred significance of the memorial, which honours fallen French soldiers. French authorities swiftly intervened, arresting the man and initiating procedures to revoke his residency permit.

What Is the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier?

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