What you need to know about the Benalla case

On Wednesday evening, the publication on Le Monde of a video dating from May 1 in which a charge mission of the Elysee violently attacked a protester in Paris set fire to the powder. In less than two days, the controversy around Alexandre Benalla has taken on more and more important proportions, to the point that it could well be remembered as one of the key issues of Emmanuel Macron's five-year term.

● Who is Alexandre Benalla?

From 2011, Alexandre Benalla ensures the protection of the leaders of the Socialist Party, including Martine Aubry or Francois Hollande. In 2012, he entered the service of Arnaud Montebourg, then Minister of Productive Recovery, as a driver. But the experience is running out. "I separated after a week after a first-class misconduct: he had caused a car accident in my presence and wanted to flee," says Arnaud Montebourg to World .

»READ ALSO – Alexandre Benalla, the lover of fists who adored President Macron

In 2016, the one who is reservist of the gendarmerie since 2009 is responsible for the security of candidate Emmanuel Macron, then leader of 'Working!. He is then noticed by his behavior sometimes "muscular". After the victory of the forty-year-old, he became a chargé de mission at the Élysée, as assistant to the chief of staff of the president, François-Xavier Lauch, and accompanied the president in many displacements.

Who is Alexandre Benalla? – Watch on Figaro Live

● What is he blamed for it?

The Benalla affair has its source in a video shared Wednesday Le Monde and filmed on May 1 by a militant of the France insubordinate. That day, a "militant aperitif" is organized Place de la Contrescarpe, in the fifth district of Paris. But the situation quickly degenerates between young people and police, as evidenced by the video shot by Taha Bouhafs.

»READ ALSO – A filmed Macron collaborator hitting a protester

On screen, a man identified like Alexandre Benalla, wearing a helmet with a visor of the police, attacks a young man on the ground. According to Taha Bouhafs, the protester "gets strangled" and receives "several punches in the back, in the head from behind". Then Alexandre Benalla moves away from the scene as the young man struggles to get up.

● The reaction of the Elysee

These revelations have plunged the Elysee into the storm. Presidential spokesman Bruno Roger-Petit said that Alexander Benalla was "authorized", at his request, to "observe law enforcement operations for May 1" on "a day". rest". But by participating "physically", "he has largely exceeded this authorization" and was "immediately summoned" by his hierarchy, insists the spokesman.

Case Benalla: "Never seen in the history of the Fifth Republic "- Watch on Figaro Live

Following these events, Emmanuel Macron's chief of staff, Patrick Strzoda, laid off Alexandre Benalla for 15 days, with suspension of salary. "He was relieved of his duties in organizing the President's travel security," added Roger Roger-Petit, stating that it was "the most serious sanction ever pronounced against a chargé de mission". working at the Élysée. "

Supposed to be now confined to the security of internal events at the Elysee Palace, the chargé de mission has been mobilized at least twice recently outside the Palais. On July 15, he would have gone on the bus of the French team world champion, who was coming down the Champs-Élysées before being received by Emmanuel Macron …

»READ ALSO – Case of Benalla: the collaborator The president was in the bus of the Blues

Questioned many times on the subject since Wednesday evening, the president did not make a clear statement. A journalist who asked him Thursday afternoon during a trip to the Dordogne if the example of the Republic was tainted by this case, he replied: "No, no, no, no, the Republic, it is unalterable"

»READ ALSO – Benalla case:" The Republic is unalterable ", insists Macron

● Several investigations opened

Thursday, the Paris prosecutor opened a preliminary investigation for" violence per person responsible of a public service mission "," usurpation of functions "and" usurpation of signs reserved to the public authority ". The first two counts are each punishable by three years in prison, the last of one year's imprisonment. "The case is now in the hands of justice, and that's fine," responded the prime minister, Édouard Philippe.

»READ ALSO – Violence: a preliminary investigation opened on a collaborator of the president [19659006DuringquestionstothegovernmentintheSenatetheMinisteroftheInteriorGérardCollombsaidheseizedtheGeneralInspectorateoftheNationalPolice(IGPN)Itisuptohertolookintotherulesgoverningthepresenceof"observers"withinthepoliceforceTheministermadeitclearthatthereportoftheIGPNwouldbemadepublic

On its side, the presidency of the National Assembly announced that the commission of the Laws would acquire the prerogatives of a commission of inquiry . The investigative powers, conferred for one month, will focus on "the events that occurred during the May Day event". The program of hearings – behind closed doors with exceptions – should be set today by the committee's bureau, with the aim, in particular, of hearing Interior Minister Gérard Collomb on Monday or Tuesday from a source

»READ ALSO – Benalla case: the Assembly sets up a commission of inquiry

The decision on the commission of inquiry was greeted on all sides. "No doubt all the light will be shed on these facts that shocked us," said Richard Ferrand, head of the LaREM deputies. Christian Jacob, president of the LR group, applauded "a good decision" and Jean-Luc Mélenchon, leader of the rebellious France, welcomed an "act of the Assembly whose importance should not escape us". He also proposed that MPs file a "no-confidence motion" from the government, which would require 58 signatures.

● An agitated Friday morning

This Friday morning, the events have further accelerated. The Elysee first announced that it was initiating dismissal proceedings against Alexandre Benalla, because of new facts brought to his attention. The chargé de mission "would have been the recipient of a document from the police headquarters that he was not authorized to detain."

»READ ALSO – The Elysée starts the dismissal of Alexandre Benalla [19659006TheParispublicprosecutor'sofficeinturnsaidthattheheadofmissionhadbeenplacedinpolicecustodyforviolenceinmeetingsbyapersoninchargeofapublicservicemissionusurpationoffunctionsillegalportofinsigniareservedtothepublicauthorityandcomplicityindivertingimagesfromavideo-protectionsystemAfewminuteslaterAFPreportedthatthreepoliceofficers-aComptrollerGeneralaCommissionerandaCommander-hadbeensuspendedforsendingvideosurveillancefootagetoAlexandreBenallaForitspart Le Monde revealed that the former "Mr. Security "of the French president would have a function apartment at 11, quai Branly. Contacted by Le Figaro The Elysee states that the information is "at this stage" not officially confirmed.

● Another video exhumed

According to another video posted on Twitter, he It seems that Alexandre Benalla also attacked a young woman on May 1st. What Taha Bouhafs had already pointed out in an interview with Sud Radio, in which he explained that he had seen a man "go get a girl (and) pull her by the neck," before disappearing from the field a few moments then to return to hit the protester visible in the first video.

Case Benalla: the shocking images of his aggression on a young woman – Watch on Figaro Live

A second man implicated

The spokesman of the Presidency, Bruno Roger-Petit, has also revealed that a second man had "exceeded his authorization" on May 1. Like Alexandre Benalla, Vincent Crase, a Reservist Constable and LaREM employee, was given a "fifteen-day layoff with suspension of pay". "It was also terminated any collaboration between him and the presidency of the Republic," said Bruno Roger-Petit.

»READ ALSO – Case Benalla: Vincent Crase, the second collaborator of Macron implicated [19659006TheParisprosecutor'sofficeannouncedthisFridaymorningthatjustlikeAlexandreBenallaVincentCrasehadalsobeenplacedincustodyforviolenceinmeetingsbypersonchargedwithamissionofpublicserviceandusurpationoffunction