A year after the death of Cédric Chouviat, the police officers who violently pinned this 42-year-old delivery man with a simple cell phone to the ground, causing his death, are still on duty.

It is in particular to request their suspension that the family of Cédric Chouviat and a few hundred people demonstrated on Sunday January 3.

"It is a march in memory of our son, our father, our husband. It is a silent march, in peace, without mess. We want to show that the Chouviat family will always exist", declared in front of the journalists Christian Chouviat, the father of the 42-year-old delivery man.

Several hundred people set off, shortly after 2:15 p.m., from the Place de l'Uruguay, in the very chic 16th arrondissement of Paris: militants from Attac, the Collectif Urgence, our murdered police or yellow vests.

Cédric Chouviat died following a police check on January 3, 2020. He was pinned to the ground with his motorcycle helmet on his head during this check, causing discomfort.

Taken in critical condition to hospital, he died on January 5.

Four police officers took part in this quai Branly check near the Eiffel Tower, at the place where the march is to end.

Three were indicted for "manslaughter", while a fourth policewoman was placed under the status of assisted witness.

Impunity

The suspension of these police officers is "the most important for us", declared before the departure of the march his father, Christian Chouviat, stressing that the fact that they were not suspended "is a scandal".

And the decision "depends only on Gerald Darmanin", he hammered.

Surrounded by other families or relatives of people who died in cases where the police are involved, such as Babacar Gueye or Ibrahima Bah, Cédric Chouviat's mother, Fatima, also asked for their suspension.

"I cannot accept that the fourth policewoman is only an assisted witness," she added.

The police "are still working and we do not understand it".

"We are fortunate that my son filmed his death, we are privileged, if I may say so, in our misfortune," she said, "Cedric left us all the evidence to defend him."

This white march also intends to speak out against the proposed law "Global security" strongly contested in recent months during demonstrations, in particular by journalists and defenders of public freedoms.

The widow of Cédric Chouviat also spoke to ask for a "dignified" demonstration, even if it means organizing to "block the thugs".

"It's not us against the police, us against the state, it's us against the people who justify these crimes," her daughter concluded.

With AFP

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