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A police officer uses a defense balloon launcher (LBD), on January 12, 2019, during a demonstration of "yellow vests" place de la Bastille in Paris. Ludovic MARIN / AFP

In France, the Ministry of the Interior rewards police officers involved in violence against "yellow vests". The information was revealed this Thursday by Mediapart. Earlier this week, 9,000 public servants were awarded the Homeland Security Medal. But now, the course of some of these rewarded police does not seem really "honorable".

Created in 2012, this distinction, usually awarded on July 14th, rewards public servants who have rendered "a particularly honorable service with a particular brilliance".

For example, firefighters in Paris who fought against the flames at Notre-Dame at the beginning of April were rewarded with this medal of honor.

But among the 9,000 police officers decorated exceptionally with a "yellow vests medal", some behaviors seem less beautiful.

In this promotion, we find for example the divisional commissioner of Nantes in charge of the operations the evening of the Feast of the music, which gave the order to disperse a crowd gathered on the edges of the Loire, causing the fall of 14 people in the river including Steve Maia Caniço , still missing.

Also decorated, the head of operations in Nice during which the protester Geneviève Legay , 73 years, had been seriously injured during a charge of the police.

Another medalist: a commander who came to dislodge "yellow vests" in a Burger King during the act III with big kicks and batons.

For its part, the Ministry of the Interior split a statement in the morning arguing that if the investigations resulted in the conviction of these officials, their medals could be withdrawn.

► To read also: "Vests yellow": police will be judged, announces the public prosecutor of Paris