Geneviève Legay case: A commissioner indicted for “complicity in willful violence” (Archives) -

Claude Paris / AP / SIPA

The commissioner who ordered a police charge in which Geneviève Legay was seriously injured in 2019 in Nice during a prohibited demonstration of “yellow vests”, was indicted for “complicity in willful violence”, he said. we learned Thursday from the Lyon prosecutor's office.

"Rabah Souchi was indicted on November 9 by the investigating judge on charges of complicity, by order or instruction, of willful violence by a person holding public authority," said the prosecution.

On March 23, 2019, this Attac activist had several broken ribs and skull fractures, during a police charge ordered to disperse a prohibited demonstration of "yellow vests".

The case had resonated strongly at the time, fueled by the conflicting views of the authorities.

A disproportionate use of force according to the IGPN

A judicial investigation was opened for willful violence by a person holding public authority and the case was disoriented in Lyon by the court of cassation.

Recently, a report from the General Inspectorate of the National Police (IGPN) pointed to a disproportionate use of force due to “inappropriate orders”.

The IGPN in particular noted "differences of appreciation" on the ground, on the day of the events, between the unit commanders and the operational manager of law and order - the divisional commissioner Rabah Souchi - including "the adopted strategy and the orders given "were characterized" by a lack of clarity and a directive aspect ", according to this report.

After the facts, the Nice prosecutor, Jean-Michel Prêtre, had first denied any physical "contact" on the part of the police, remarks repeated by Emmanuel Macron.

Then the magistrate then admitted that she had been pushed by a police officer, following the exploitation of video surveillance images.

The prosecutor has since been transferred to the Lyon Court of Appeal at the end of 2019.

Justice

Geneviève Legay case: The police orders were "unsuitable" at the time of "the charge", according to the IGPN

Justice

Nice: Transferred to Lyon after the Legay affair, the prosecutor settles his accounts at his starting pot

  • Justice

  • Police

  • Nice

  • Yellow vests

  • Geneviève Legay case