Bobigny (AFP)

The prosecution has requested three months suspended sentence against Jean-Luc Mélenchon for the incidents enamelled the search of October 2018 at the headquarters of LFI, considering before the court of Bobigny that the rebellious leader has conducted "an act of violent resistance with use of force ".

Prosecuted for "intimidation of a magistrate and a depositary of public authority, rebellion and provocation", Mr. Mélenchon, who claims to be a victim of a "political trial", incurs up to 10 years in prison, a fine of 150,000 euros and 5 years of ineligibility.

The prosecution requested a suspended prison sentence only for the leader of the LFI party. He also asked for a 8,000 euros fine for Mr Mélenchon, MPs Alexis Corbière and Bastien Lachaud and MEP Manuel Bompard, 10,000 euros against the president of the association "L'Ere du peuple" Bernard Pignerol and 2,000 euros against the press secretary of the movement.

"The law has planned 10 years, 10 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.

To justify its requisitions, the prosecutor's office emphasized the decisive role of Mr. Mélenchon 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 prosecutor Juliette Gest, echoing several sentences of the insubordant leader: "Go push me this door", "come back we have nothing to fuck what they say "or" Go, go ahead, try to push me to see ".

"He raises his threatening finger, his face has touched his (the prosecutor's, ed), says + do not give me orders or instructions +, then he pushes: the rebellion is formed," said Ms. 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 denounced the argument of the 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 condemned".

This afternoon will be followed by the pleadings of the defense. The judgment will be reserved.

- "Feeling of humiliation" -

During the first day of the hearing, Mr. Mélenchon recounted his "sense of humiliation" at the time of the search on October 16, and explained his vehemence at the time, including his sentence "The Republic is me" shouted in the face of a policeman on duty.

He stated that he did not want to oppose the search but simply tried to attend to ensure that the LFI registration file was not removed. "I had the attitude that I considered politically necessary because I thought I was the target of a political attack," explained the boss of the LFI deputies, who defended himself from any physical violence.

Filming live on Facebook a first search of his home, Mr. Mélenchon had first denounced a "huge political police operation" before visiting with relatives at the headquarters of the movement. In front of cameras, he had called to "break the door" to enter the premises. He was also seen shaking up a representative of the prosecution, as well as a police officer trying to intervene.

The other five defendants filed a similar defense.

© 2019 AFP