On the second day of the trial of Jean-Luc Mélenchon and five of his relatives, the prosecution requested Friday, September 20, three months in prison suspended sentence against the leader of La France unsubdued (LFI), following the eventful search at the headquarters of the movement in October 2018.
The public prosecutor's office estimated in Bobigny's court that Jean-Luc Mélenchon had carried out "an act of violent resistance with the use of force". Prosecuted for "intimidation of a magistrate and a repository of public authority, rebellion and provocation", the leader LFI - who claims to be the victim of a "political trial" - incurs up to ten years in prison, a fine of EUR 150 000 and five years of ineligibility.
The public prosecutor has also asked for a € 8,000 fine against Jean-Luc Mélenchon, deputies Alexis Corbière and Bastien Lachaud and MEP Manuel Bompard, 10,000 euros against the president of the association "L'Ère du peuple", Bernard Pignerol, and 2,000 euros against the press secretary of the movement.
"The law has provided for ten years, ten years, we spend three months suspended ... All this souk for that!", Exclaimed Jean-Luc Mélenchon in front of the press, after greeting the dozens of activists who were waiting in the lobby to support him. "I think that in terms of morale, our victory is total [...] everything has to end with a relaxation and we move on to something else," he added.
"Please, stop your circus!"
To justify its demands, the prosecutor's office emphasized the decisive role of the LFI leader in the escalation of tensions that led to the interruption of the search, scene whose images filmed by journalists have been widely reported in the media.
"The rebellion goes up a notch on the stairs when Jean-Luc Mélenchon arrives," said the prosecutor, Juliette Gest, echoing several sentences of the insubordant leader: "Come on, push me this door", "Come back, we have do not give a damn what they say, "or" Go, go ahead, try to push me to see ".
"He raises the threatening finger, his face touched his [the prosecutor, Ed], said: 'Do not give me orders or instructions', then he pushes: the rebellion is constituted," said Juliette Gest . According to her, it is "undeniably an act of violent resistance, with the use of force".
Earlier in the morning, Me Eric Dupond-Moretti, a lawyer of police formed civil parties, exclaimed in his speech: "Thank you, stop your circus!" He also denounced the argument of six insubordinated defendants who denounce a "political trial": "We are not in Venezuela here, we are in France and when we outrage a policeman, we are sentenced".
Defense pleadings are expected Friday afternoon, and the judgment will be reserved.
With AFP