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After vehement criticism, the French government has distanced itself from a staff member of the presidential office accused of attacking protesters. She announced that she would fire the security guard to cover the scandal.
Benalla security guard (center right, with helmet) at the May Day event. (Photo: KEYSTONE / AP Nicolas Lescaut)
(nda / afp)
Police arrested the employee of President Emmanuel Macron. The scandal began this week with the release of several videos of the newspaper "The World". One can see how Alexander Benalla violently beat the participants of the rally on May 1 in Paris
He was wearing a police helmet, although he was not a policeman. According to government information, he had only permission "to observe police operations". The prosecution now accuses him of, among other things, having used a law enforcement officer to commit acts of violence.
He also illegally obtained video surveillance cameras from the city of Paris. In this context, three police officers were temporarily suspended. They reportedly fled the recordings in Benalla
The Senate claims a statement from the Minister of the Interior
Interior Minister Gerard Collomb strongly condemned the behavior of the three officials on Friday. On Thursday, he had already announced a police investigation to determine the circumstances in which the incident occurred on May 1. The Senate summoned Collomb to an audience next week
Internally, the blows attack at the popular rue Mouffetard on the Left Bank was known the day after the protests. According to the presidency, Benalla was suspended without pay for two weeks and transferred to the administration instead of ensuring the safety of Macron's travels. The BFM TV channel reported that Benalla had been reinstated as a security guard this week – during the victory parade on the Champs Elysees celebrating the victory of the French national team at the World Cup in Russia
. Man in police custody
According to government officials, another man, Benalla's colleague Vincent Crase, exceeded his powers in the service of the president during the May Day demonstrations. He is also in custody. A spokesman for the government said cooperation with this ruling party employee The Republic in March had ended.
Benalla was responsible for Macron's security during the presidential campaign last year and worked at the Elysee. Previously, he briefly worked for former President Francois Hollande, but was suspended after only a week. "He caused an accident as a driver and then tried to flee," said Thursday the former minister Arnaud Montebourg to "The World".
Macron is silent
Macron did not comment on this. Several newspapers and politicians of all sides criticized the government's behavior on the matter and the silence of the president, who had promised to return politics and morality to France when he took office.
There was talk in Parliament of a "state affair". Macron is currently facing a political crisis, "because he has not managed to immediately solve a problem of discipline," said the conservative daily Le Figaro on Friday: "Without the publication of the newspaper Le Monde, the case would not have been revealed. "
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