Coffins near Eiffel Tower spark arrests and Ukraine conflict fears
4:03 PM EDT, June 2, 2024
Five wooden coffins were discovered on Saturday near the Eiffel Tower in Paris. They bore the inscription "French soldiers killed in Ukraine." Due to the incident, the police arrested three individuals.
The coffins, which were placed on the sidewalk of a street near the area where the Eiffel Tower stands, were noticed on Saturday morning.
Coffins in Paris: inscriptions about "soldiers killed in Ukraine"
The life-sized wooden boxes were covered with the French flag and bore inscriptions about "soldiers in Ukraine." Inside the coffins were bags filled with plaster.
Le Parisien reported on Sunday, citing police sources, that the first person arrested was the truck driver who had been used to transport the coffins. The two other alleged perpetrators were arrested while preparing to board a bus to Berlin. The driver testified that he came from Bulgaria and was paid 40 euros (approximately $43) to transport two people and the load.
An investigation was launched into the incident to determine whether it involved any "interference from abroad."
The incident occurred at a time when, according to media reports, France is seeking to form a coalition of European countries willing to send instructors to Ukraine to train Ukrainian soldiers.
