After police brutality – France initiates proceedings against four police officers – News

• An investigation was opened on Monday evening in France against four police officers for an attack on a black music producer.
• The AFP agency reports, citing the judicial authorities.
• The brutal police operation in Paris had caused outrage and protests across the country in recent days.

A video released Thursday shows several police officers attacking a music producer at the entrance to his production studio. You can see the music producer Michel Z. walking past the house without wearing the obligatory mask. Three policemen see him, Michel Z. retires to his studio, the policemen follow him. There was a fight, the police gave the man at least two dozen punches and kicks with his feet. Soon after, a tear gas cartridge flies into the studio.

Michel Z. filed a police report and told reporters his view of things in front of the police station: “I didn’t even realize that the men were police officers. They beat and repeatedly cursed me like a nigger. “

Two police officers in custody

Three of the officers are accused, among other things, of racist violence by officials, trespassing and falsification of documents. The fourth official is accused of rape by officials and property damage, AFP news agency learned from judicial circles. As a result, two police officers were arrested, the others were released and are under judicial control.

French Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin had asked for the sacking of police officers if the allegations were confirmed. They had “soiled the uniform of the Republic”. Now he himself is expected to declare himself to incidents under increasing political pressure in the National Assembly on Monday. Darmanin and President Emmanuel Macron condemned the violence on Twitter as unacceptable.

The attack on the music producer is the second case of police violence that caused horror and criticism in France last week. Last Monday, videos circulated of a brutal evacuation of a makeshift tent camp by migrants in Place der la République in Paris. Investigations are also underway here.

Over 100,000 people took to the streets in France over the weekend to protest police violence and a controversial law to protect the police. Especially in Paris and in the Breton city of Rennes there have been riots and clashes between demonstrators and police.

The aforementioned episodes of police violence fueled the already heated debate on the planned security law in France. According to the government, the law should better protect the police. Particularly controversial is an article that criminalizes the posting of images of security officers in action if this is done with the aim of harming the physical or mental integrity of police officers. The House of Commons has already approved the project, now it’s up to the Senate.