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(PARIS) – A French judge on Sunday charged one of the highest security officials of President Emmanuel Macron after the video showing that he had beaten a protester during the night. a demonstration of May 1st.
The French authorities opened a judicial investigation into the attack. The alleged multiple offenses included violence, interfering in the exercise of the public service and the unauthorized public display of official badges.
The video released Wednesday by Le Monde newspaper triggered the first major political crisis for Macron since taking office. year. Lawmakers and political opponents of the president have asked why Benalla was not fired and sent back for prosecution when presidential officials learned that it was months ago.
The recording shows Benalla, who is not a policeman, wearing a police helmet on May 1. protest. Surrounded by the riot police, he brutally pulled a woman from the crowd and then repeatedly beat a young man on the ground.
The man was heard begging Benalla to stop. The police did not intervene.
Four others were also charged Sunday night: Vincent Crase, who was working for Macron's party and was with Benalla on the day of the protest, and three police officers suspected of illegally passing images of the event
Benalla, 26, took charge of Macron's campaign security and remained close to the youngest president of France after his election. The presidential palace began a procedure to fire Benalla on Friday and investigators broke into his home on Saturday.
Macron's office stated that Benalla was only supposed to accompany the officers to the May demonstration as an observer.
criticized since he revealed that he knew the assault before last week. Macron pledged as a candidate to restore the integrity and transparency of the presidency.
Lawmakers were appalled to learn that Benalla had only received a two-week hiatus and still had an office in the presidential palace two and a half months after the beating. Suspicions about a possible concealment surfaced after what appeared to be inconsistent responses from Macron's office. He said last week that since May, Benalla had been working in an administrative role instead of security. But Benalla was photographed by the president as a bodyguard on July 14th.
Macron's political opponents seized the opportunity. The leader of the Republicans, Laurent Wauquiez, said the government "was trying to hide a question of state".
The far-right leader Marine Le Pen tweeted: "If Macron does not explain, the Benalla affair will become the Macron affair."
Macron remained silent on the behavior captured on the video. Legislators plan to question Interior Minister Gerard Collomb this week.
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