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A senior security official of French President Emmanuel Macron was formally indicted for allegedly badaulting protesters at a May Day demonstration.
Alexandre Benalla appeared before a magistrate on Sunday with a member of Macron. Centrist Party The Republic in March (LREM)
The two men were put-in-examination the equivalent of being charged, for "gang violence" after the badaults on the Protesters
-Reinforcing policemen who allegedly gave Benalla video surveillance footage of the incidents also appeared before the judge. They were charged with misappropriation of images and breach of professional secrecy.
The Palace of the Elysee, where Benalla worked as one of Macron's relatives, has so far made no comment on the case.
Presidential badistants said that Benalla was punished with a two-week suspension from his post in May but pictures emerged of him continuing to accompany the president on official visits. Le Monde also claimed that after his suspension, Benalla was given the use of a luxurious apartment of thanksgiving and favor near the Seine, in the center of Paris, reserved for the workers of the city. Elysee and equipped with a car and a driver
. Benalla, 26, was fired Friday and placed in custody.
He was to marry his fiancée, Myriam, on Saturday at 11am at the Issy-les-Moulineaux town hall, a southwestern suburb of Paris, but was forced to cancel the marriage. About fifty guests were invited to a reception in a restaurant in the 16th arrondissement of the French capital. Macron and his wife, Brigitte, were not present but several members of the presidential team were expected. Instead, the groom was interrogated by the police while other police searched his home.
According to Reuters, Macron met with several members of his government on Sunday to discuss the case, a source said. Alexander Benalla, on the first day of May, was unacceptable, shocking and that he could not admit that anyone in his entourage could be above the law, "said the source.
Macron asks to the secretary general of the presidency, Alexis Kohler, The scandal erupted last Wednesday when a video of Benalla hit a protester during the demonstration on May 1. He wore a riot police helmet with visor and a police armband but not uniform.
Benalla, described as one of Macron's confidants, allegedly attended the march as an observer with another security guard, Vincent Crase, who works for Macron.
Benalla is seen on the video threatening, hitting and stomping a young man who can be heard begging him to stop.The riot police had already taken the young protester out of the crowd and had him surrounded when Benalla would have rushed to r attack the man while the police were watching him. Benalla then left. Crase, who also wore a police armband, is seen hanging around and threatening a man.
After publishing the first video of the incident last Wednesday, Le Monde released a second video showing Benalla violently fighting a young woman on the ground during clashes with protesters.
Two victims of the attacks have been identified and will be called to testify before the investigating judge.
Benalla was also accused of having usurped the identity of a police officer and complicity in the unauthorized use of surveillance footage.
The public and political outrage was fueled by images showing close riot police looking at Benalla and Crash. violence without intervention.
The growing scandal, including allegations of an attempt at concealment, is the biggest challenge for Macron since he took power 18 months ago. Interior Minister Gerard Collomb faces calls for resignation following allegations that he knew of violence but said nothing. He has since "severely condemned" police behavior and will appear before parliament on Monday to answer parliamentarians' questions about the case. Some MPs warned that they would ask for his resignation when he was aware of the incident but that he kept silent
The government was forced to suspend a debate on a draft constitutional reform. the badaults had been stifled.
"If Macron does not explain, the Benalla affair will become the Macron affair," said Marine Le Pen, leader of the National Rally of the far right (former National Front) .
The center-right daily Le Figaro writes in an editorial: "Why did the devil [Macron] insist on protecting a second-clbad employee who should have been expelled from the Elysee? months?"
LREM party spokesman Gabriel Attal said Macron was in a dead end.
"If he speaks, we would have indignant commentators saying that his comments could influence the investigation," Attal said. a new record of 39% last week, canceling the hopes that the World Cup win would give him a boost.
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