11:28 pm – Macron employee suspended after hitting demonstrator on May 1 according to press

Emmanuel Macron's collaborator, who was responsible for his security during the presidential campaign, was suspended for two weeks and then transferred to administrative posts at the Elysee Palace after badaulting a demonstrator in Paris on 1 May. According to a Monde article posted on Wednesday evening.

Le Monde, whose article is accompanied by a video of the incident, states that "Alexandre Benalla, a close adviser to the President of the Republic (.. .) equipped with a helmet with a visor of the police when he is not a police officer, attacked a young man on the ground during a demonstration that was held on the Place de la Contrescarpe, in Paris "

"The helmeted man, visibly out of his train (the young man) on the ground, seized violently around the neck from behind and hit him several times," says Le Monde, who says that "the director of cabinet Emmanuel Macron, Patrick Strzoda, confirmed that Mr. Benalla was Well the man in the video. "

" The day after the demonstration, I was informed by a collaborator that Mr. Benalla had been recognized in the field as part of operations to maintain the order. I saw the videos, I summoned them the same day, I asked him if it was him, "said Mr Strzoda daily, stating that he had authorized Mr Benalla to participate" as an observer "to a police intervention on May 1.

Still according to the chief of staff, quoted by Le Monde, Mr. Benalla admitted to being the man implicated.

Mr. Macron called for" sanctions " , and Mr. Strzoda inflicted on him "a simple temporary suspension, from May 4 to 19", threatening him with dismissal in the event of a new departure, the daily writes.

"Mr. Benalla, however, remains a missionary at the Elysee, although now badigned to an administrative position, where he deals with the security of organized events + inside the Palais +, such as meetings with companies or the celebration of the victory of the Blues at the World Cup ", concludes the article.

The Elysee, solicited, had not reacted to this information Wednesday early evening.

Several politicians quickly asked that Mr. Benalla be dismissed of his duties and / or continued

"Faced with this double fault and this aggression characterized and unacceptable he must resign," said the senator PS Rachid Temal on Twitter.

"Questions: why the police left to make Alexandre Benalla? Why justice has not been seized? Why Emmanuel Macron contented himself with a layoff? what does this nervi do in the security at the Elysee? "asked the LFI deputy Eric Coquerel." We expect answers from Gerard Collomb and Emmanuel Macron, "he added, asking that" justice is seized for blows. and violence and usurpation of police function. "

Generations, the party founded by former PS presidential candidate Benoit Hamon denounced, still on Twitter," impunity at the top ", while the founder of the Patriots Florian Philippot thought "incredible that this guy is still serving the President of the Republic! Does Macron tolerate this? "

chr / mpf