Moroccan National Faces Deportation for Desecrating Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Paris

On August 5, 2025, a 47-year-old Moroccan national, identified as Hamdi H., was arrested in Paris after a video surfaced showing him climbing over a chain barrier at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier beneath the Arc de Triomphe and lighting a cigarette using the Eternal Flame. The act, captured by a Latvian tourist and widely shared on social media platforms like TikTok and X, sparked national outrage in France due to the memorial’s sacred significance, honoring unidentified soldiers who died in World War I.

French Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau condemned the incident on X, stating, “This unworthy and deplorable act undermines the memory of those who died for France.” Patricia Miralles, Minister for Veterans and Remembrance, called it “not a mere misstep, but a desecration,” emphasizing, “France will never tolerate the tarnishing of the memory of those who died for her. Never.” Hamdi H., a legal resident with a permit valid until October 2025, initially denied the act but later admitted his actions in custody. He faces charges under Article 225-17 of the French Penal Code for “violating a burial site, tomb, cinerary urn, or monument erected in memory of the dead,” punishable by up to one year in prison and a €15,000 (£12,700) fine.

On August 6, 2025, France’s Interior Ministry announced the revocation of Hamdi H.’s residency permit, paving the way for his deportation, as confirmed by Le Figaro and Politico. The suspect, reportedly homeless with 21 prior offenses including theft, vandalism, and racially motivated insults, is well-known to police. General Pierre Schill, Chief of Staff of the French Army, called the act “an affront to every soldier who gave his life for this country,” while Marine Le Pen of the National Rally party issued a scathing rebuke. The case has reignited debates about security at national monuments, with critics questioning how such an act occurred at a heavily patrolled site.

Source: African Publicity