A police armband.
(illustration) -
THOMAS COEX / AFP
A photojournalist for the regional daily
L'Union
was seriously injured this Saturday in Reims, while he "seemed to cover groups of young people" in the priority district of the Red Cross, and an investigation is open for attempted murder, a- we learned from the prefecture and the prosecution.
At around 3:00 p.m., “a journalist from
L'Union
was attacked and seriously injured in circumstances as yet undetermined, but on purpose.
I therefore opened an investigation for attempted murder, entrusted to departmental security, ”said the prosecutor of the Republic of Reims, Matthieu Bourrette.
The photographer "was taken care of by the Samu and transferred to the University Hospital of Reims, with a vital prognosis", he said.
Present for professional reasons
“It seems that he was present for professional reasons and that he seemed to cover groups of young people.
The rest of the circumstances are still unknown and deserve to be clarified, ”continued the prosecutor.
No arrests were made at this stage, he added.
The journalist “was found on the ground around 3:30 pm in the Red Cross district, where there was obviously a youth movement.
The police were on the spot, had identified movements of young people, some of whom were carrying baseball bats, and reinforcements had been called "to secure the neighborhood, said the Prefect of Marne Pierre N'Gahane .
“The neighborhood remains a sensitive neighborhood.
A year ago, just before confinement, there were two series of clashes between young people from this neighborhood and from another neighborhood.
Fearing this type of problem, the police occupied the space, ”added Marne Pierre N'Gahane.
The
L'Union
photographer
“would have decided to come to the scene with a colleague.
He arrived a few minutes before her "and she" would have discovered it ", he detailed.
The authorities have for the moment “no precise information on what happened, if he received blows or a projectile.
But he was on the ground, bleeding in the ears, ”he lamented.
Solidarity of Darmanin and Bachelot
“My thoughts are with the seriously injured photojournalist in the course of his work in Reims.
Solidarity with the editorial staff of
L'Union-L'Ardennais
and the entire profession.
The national police are fully mobilized to identify and question the perpetrators, ”the Minister of the Interior, Gerald Darmanin, tweeted this Saturday evening.
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
The Minister of Culture, Roselyne Bachelot was also moved by a "cowardly aggression" in a tweet, expressing "solidarity" with the photographer and his editorial staff.
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