A police car in Paris, March 24, 2020. (illustration) - PHILIPPE LOPEZ / AFP

  • The death of George Floyd, an African-American immobilized on the ground for long minutes by a policeman holding his knee on his neck, has given rise in recent days to demonstrations against police violence in Minneapolis (Minnesota) as in the rest of the states -United.
  • The images of his arrest marked the spirits and are today compared with those of a similar arrest which would have been filmed in the 20th arrondissement of Paris, Thursday, May 28.
  • This viral video was indeed filmed on this date and in this district, as 20 Minutes was able to verify .

“No need to go to Minneapolis to find a George Floyd […], we have it here! "," The day after the barbaric murder of George Floyd in the United States, today this scene takes place in France in the 20th arrondissement [of Paris] "...

On Facebook, the video of an arrest recalling that, also filmed, of George Floyd, an African-American who died in hospital after being immobilized on the ground by a police officer who kept his leg on his neck for long minutes - while he repeated, lying on his stomach, "I can't breathe" -, is relayed by many Internet users.

We see a man there, lying on the ground on his back, surrounded by several police officers trying to keep him motionless. As the videographer filming the scene cries out "Why is he crushing his head, brother!" ", One of the policemen indeed maintains his knee on the man's neck for several seconds, then on his face as he struggles, and finally again on his neck, before releasing his pressure and putting it grab by the legs.

According to the legend accompanying most of the revivals of this video, the scene was filmed on Thursday May 28 in Paris, a few days after the highly publicized death of George Floyd in Minneapolis - and while demonstrations against police violence continue across the Atlantic, where this immobilization technique is known for its serious dangers.

FAKE OFF

This interpellation was indeed filmed in the capital, more precisely at the crossroads between rue Léon-Frapié and rue des Fougères, in the 20th arrondissement, as we can check on Google Street View, where we find some details visible in background: the bus stop and the building, the form of the marking on the ground.

The crossing of rue des Fougères and rue Léon Frapié, in the 20th arrondissement of Paris. - screenshot / Google Street View

Another video of the scene, filmed from a slightly different angle, also reveals the presence of several witnesses during the arrest.

Contacted by 20 Minutes , the Prefecture of Police confirms that these images correspond to “the arrest on May 28, around 9 pm, in the 20th arrondissement of Paris, of an individual for driving offenses despite the cancellation of a driving license , driving under the influence of drugs and alcohol, and contempt and rebellion. "

"This intervention took place in a difficult context linked to the individual's resistance to his arrest and the presence of a hostile crowd," continues the police headquarters.

Friday, May 29, Danielle Simonnet, councilor of Paris and LFI candidate in municipal elections, however relayed on her account a slightly different version of this inquiry, citing testimonies from residents of the neighborhood encountered during her visit. “The person on the ground had previously been the subject of an identity check, the reason for which is unknown while he was in a car. As soon as she got out of the vehicle, she was the victim of a police officer's brush. On the ground, she was handcuffed. Then the video… Young people present in the surroundings then underwent tear gas when there was, according to the testimonies of those present, nothing specific justifying it. "

2 / the person on the ground had previously been the subject of an identity check, the reason for which is unknown while he was in a car. As soon as she got out of the vehicle, she was the victim of a police officer's brush. On the ground, she was handcuffed. Then the video ...

- Danielle Simonnet (@ Simonnet2) May 29, 2020

Contacted by 20 Minutes , neither Danielle Simonnet nor several Internet users claiming to have witnessed the scene had not responded to our requests before the article appeared.

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  • Interpellation
  • Police violence
  • Paris
  • Fake Off
  • Society
  • Police