Journalist attacked: The Elysee wants the authors to be "arrested as soon as possible"

The Elysee Palace said on Sunday that it wanted the perpetrators of the attack on the seriously injured photo-reporter in Reims to be "arrested as soon as possible".

"The Elysée called the editorial staff of the Union, following the attack yesterday in Reims of a photographer from the editorial staff, to express their emotion and sympathy, and their wish to see the perpetrators of the attack arrested at faster, "said the presidency.

His aggression aroused great indignation, especially in the political world, and the Minister of the Interior Gerald Darmanin said in a tweet on Saturday that the national police were "fully mobilized to identify and arrest the perpetrators".

My thoughts are with the photo-journalist seriously injured in the course of his work in Reims.

Solidarity with the editorial staff of @ UnionArdennais and the whole profession.

The @PoliceNationale is fully mobilized to identify and challenge the perpetrators.

https://t.co/YTiQAi0thq

- Gérald DARMANIN (@GDarmanin) February 27, 2021

Some kids wore baseball bats

This 65-year-old photo-reporter from the regional daily L'Union was seriously injured on Saturday in Reims, while covering groups of young people in the priority district of the Red Cross.

He was attacked "in still undetermined circumstances, but on a voluntary basis. I therefore opened an investigation for attempted murder, entrusted to the departmental security", indicated Saturday the prosecutor of the Republic of Reims, Matthieu Bourrette.

The journalist "was found on the ground, around 3:30 p.m. in the Red Cross district [...]. The police were there, had identified movements of young people, some of whom were carrying baseball bats. , and reinforcements had been called "to secure the district," declared the prefect of Marne Pierre N'Gahane.