[ad_1]
French President Emmanuel Macron decided to fire one of his security officials after the release of the video of a man who beat a student protester. The video provoked a violent reaction from the audience about what was perceived as mild punishment and possible concealment.
The video of the May 1 event in Paris, revealed by Le Monde on Wednesday evening, shows Alexandre Benalla in a helmet with police badges, surrounded by riot police, brutally dragging a woman to a demonstration and repeatedly beating a young man on the ground.
"New facts that could constitute an offense committed by Alexander Benalla have been brought to the attention of the President," said Friday a senior official of the presidential palace of the Elysee, according to the agency Reuters. Benalla's dismissal procedure "as a result of his actions the official told Reuters, who also reported that Benalla was being questioned by the police.
In the video, the man being beaten is heard praying Benalla Another plainclothes man dragged the young man to the ground during the incident that took place in a popular tourist spot in the fifth district of Paris, according to the BBC.
The police, who had taken the man out of the crowd before Benalla took over, did not intervene and Benalla left the scene at the Place de la Contrescarpe, where around 100 people were arrested. were badembled.
The second man was apparently a policeman who, according to Le Monde, had worked with Benalla in the past.
BBC News reports that the original video of the incident was published on the networks on May 1st by Taha Bouhafs, an activist e 21 years old
A tumult over Benalla's initial punishment – a two-week suspension and a shift in responsibilities – forced senior French officials to address the issue on Thursday.
Benalla, who did not comment on the issue, managed Macron's security during the presidential campaign.
Prime Minister Edouard Philippe, answering questions from the Senate, described the event as "shocking", but stumbled to answer questions, especially if all French people are equal before the law.
Interior Minister Gerard Collomb said the two men "clearly had no legitimate reason to intervene". He said he asked that a police unit that investigates alleged criminal behavior by officers explains the rules for observers and verifies if they are respected.
Condemning the "unacceptable behavior," Macron spokesman, Roger Roger-Petit, said that Benalla had also been relieved of his responsibilities of organizing security for presidential trips, although he was not allowed to do so. he keeps his office at the Elysee.
In addition, the authorities have launched a preliminary investigation that could lead to charges against Benalla, said a judicial official under the guise of anonymity because he was not allowed to discuss an ongoing case.
Possible charges include pretending to be a police officer, violence by an official, and the illegal use of police badges, BBC News reported.
Despite this, Benalla was seen this month on the ground with the police at several heights. -profile events, including Monday's return home of France World Cup World Champion an event that drew hundreds of thousands of people.
Macron, Dordogne, to officially launch a new postage stamp, did not answer questions about the scandal on Thursday. The centrist parvenu elected last year had promised an exemplary presidency during his tenure to break with endless cases of corruption in French politics.
© 2018 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, disseminated, rewritten or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
[ad_2]Source link
