In France, a person who has lit a cigarette from the Eternal Flame will be deprived of a residence permit

French Interior Minister Bruno Retaio intends to revoke the residence permit in the country of a previously detained foreigner who lit a cigarette from the Eternal Flame at the Grave of the Unknown Soldier at The Arc de Triomphe in Paris. This was reported by Europe 1 radio station, citing a law enforcement source.

According to her, the violator turned out to be a 47-year-old Moroccan, who was prosecuted at least 21 times for various offenses, in particular insults, disobedience to the authorities and racist statements.

The radio station clarifies that the violator's residence permit is valid until October 2025, TASS reports.

On the eve of the Minister-Delegate for Veterans Affairs and Memorial Projects at the Ministry of the Armed Forces of France Patricia Miralles said that a video is being distributed on social networks showing a man walking over the Grave of an Unknown Soldier at the The Arc de Triomphe and lights a cigarette from the Eternal Flame. She stated that she had appealed to the prosecutor's office with a demand to bring the offender to justice. Later, Retayo said that the man was detained and would soon appear in court.

The grave of the Unknown Soldier was installed at The Arc de Triomphe on November 11, 1920 in memory of those who died for France during the First World War. Since 1923, an Eternal Flame has been burning at this place.