The coffins, decorated with a banner bearing the inscription ‘Soldats français de l’Ukraine’, contained only plaster

On Saturday morning, five coffins and a banner bearing the inscription ‘Soldats français de l’Ukraine’ (French soldiers from Ukraine) were discovered in front of the Eiffel Tower in Paris, according to a police source told H24 MEDIA. Three people, from Bulgaria, Germany and Ukraine, are still in police custody for ‘premeditated violence’. They are two men intercepted while trying to catch a bus to Berlin, and the driver of a van who claims to have arrived from Bulgaria the day before.

The preliminary investigation, based on CCTV footage, shows a white van arriving at around 9am on Saturday morning at the Quai Jacques Chirac, before parking at the corner of the Quai and the allée Jean Paulhan. Two individuals then unloaded the coffins and banner onto the pavement. Forensic analysis revealed that the coffins contained bags of plaster.

The driver of the van was quickly checked and taken into custody. He stated that he had been paid 40 euros to transport the individuals and their cargo from Bulgaria. The other two suspects, who had initially eluded the police, were found at the Bercy bus station thanks to surveillance by the anti-crime squad (BAC) of the 12th arrondissement of Paris. They were preparing to take a bus to Berlin. Both were also taken into custody. The Paris territorial police are in charge of the investigation.