From a government view, it becomes a revenue generator to fund the employment of police and others when fines are paid for fooling around with the flame. It is more desirable to earn money with the flame rather than a simple statue.

US law has a doctrine called, “Attractive Nuisance”, which refers to anything that causes trouble when it attracts little children. The doctrine makes the property owner legally liable for whatever bad things happen to children as a result of maintaining an attractive nuisance.

If a child is accidentally burned by the eternal flame, should the government be held liable for damages? In America, the answer may be yes if the child was too young to realize the danger and fell into the flame.

America has it’s own eternal flame in a JFK memorial but it is a bit higher off the ground to avoid liability claims.