“symbolic” sentences pronounced for the sacking of the Arc de Triomphe

Eight people were sentenced, Thursday, March 25, to suspended prison or community service for their role, modest, in the highly publicized rampage of the Arc de Triomphe during a demonstration of “yellow vests” in 2018 All were found guilty of breaking into the historic monument, stormed by protesters during Act 3 of their movement. The main people responsible for “apocalyptic scenes”, described by the court during the hearing, were never identified.

Rather than a fine, “symbolically” and “compared to what happened”, “community service seemed good to us”, said President Sonia Lumbroso to the defendants lined up standing in front of her. At the start of the hearing on Monday, she had shown the photos and described at length the Arc de Triomphe covered with tags on December 1, 2018, the interior “totally trashed” and looted. The damage was estimated at 1 million euros.

Those who committed degradation received suspended prison sentences. The heaviest, an eight-month suspended sentence, was pronounced against a young man filmed trying to smash a door with a fire extinguisher. Those who have stolen postcards, Eiffel Towers or miniature Arc de Triomphe from the monument will have to pay a fine of 100 euros. All will have to do 70 hours of community service.