Former French President Macron's assistant claims that beating the protesters was a "huge mistake"

PARIS – The former security badistant of President Emmanuel Macron who unleashed a tumult after a video showed him beat a protester recognized "a huge mistake" By attending the demonstration equipped as a policeman, but described as a political mistake that eventually turned against the French leader.

Authorities opened a criminal investigation into Alexander Benalla, who was fired last week, and his office was searched Wednesday. The newspaper Le Monde published the interview Thursday with Benalla, who had shaved his beard to be less recognizable.

Macron's office was criticized for failing to disclose the charges weeks ago and the manner in which he treated them. The French leader said Tuesday at a private meeting of his centrist party that he alone was responsible. He did not speak publicly to lawmakers for a week of televised parliamentary sessions, but when urged by reporters on Wednesday he downplayed the uproar over Benalla's actions.

"He made a serious and serious mistake that I felt was a personal betrayal and said he too.He was punished for this mistake and then went back to work." When he made a second mistake he was more severely punished, as we expected, "Macron said. "Everyone makes mistakes, the answer must be proportional."

The French Parliament opened a series of investigations into Benalla's role in the Macron administration and his request to carry firearms. The 26-year-old man claimed the choice of the site where Macron officially took over the presidency – the Louvre Palace – and said his job was to take care of Macron's privacy. He can be seen in dozens of photos, on Macron's side or just behind him.

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"I am I do not feel like I betrayed the president, I felt like I made a huge mistake, made a mistake, "Benalla said. . "But this mistake, it 's more from a political point of view: I should never have attended this event as an observer and then, perhaps, I' m not sure. should have stayed behind. "

Benalla said the target was a Macron. "I am the weakest link," he said

Benalla was considered a crucial element of Macron's details and had criticized his official security, the equivalent of the US secret service. "They are not involved at all in the organization." Earlier this week, speaking to legislators, Paris police chief Michel Delpuech denounced what he calls " unhealthy nepotism "to explain the apparent hold of Benalla in the French security apparatus. However, the interior minister and the police chief said that Benalla was among some forty people present in the command hall on the night of May 1, watching videos on the night. cleaning operation of demonstrators