Reims (AFP)
A 21-year-old man was presented to an examining magistrate on Wednesday with a view to indictment in particular for "aggravated attempted murder", after the assault on Saturday in Reims of a photo-journalist for the regional daily Union , whose vital prognosis remains engaged, announced the prosecutor.
The suspect arrested Monday, of Algerian nationality, is suspected of being the one who "struck the journalist in the face, first with his fists then with the camera" of the photographer, while the latter "was practicing his profession , and for this reason ", declared the public prosecutor of Reims Matthieu Bourrette, during a press conference.
A second man, suspected in particular of having "struck several blows with a stick (...) in the direction of the victim" but in a "particularly probable" manner rather on the ground than on the body, has been identified but not yet arrested. stadium, the prosecutor said.
Saturday afternoon, the photographer Christian Lantenois had visited the neighborhood with a colleague, in order to cover groups of young people "which suggested the preparation of clashes", explained Mr. Bourrette.
According to the investigation, "a group of thirty individuals was preparing a bellicose rally with the obvious aim of confronting another gang from the same district or from another district of Reims".
Parked in front of the media library, and remained behind, Mr. Lantenois had tried, shortly after 3:00 p.m., to take pictures "a few hundred meters away from hooded individuals who were a few dozen", and a group had "quickly spotted" him. , then assaulted.
Still in serious condition and "for several days placed in an artificial coma", he was notably the victim of "a very severe head trauma, (...) a subdural hematoma and cerebral hemorrhage".
His aggression had aroused Sunday the indignation of the political class, up to the Elysee Palace, which had asked for an arrest "as soon as possible" of the authors.
"I want to assure his family, his relatives, his editorial staff and all your profession, of the absolute support of the government and of the absolute determination of the public authorities to identify and punish the perpetrators of this unspeakable act," said Wednesday the spokesperson of the government, Gabriel Attal.
© 2021 AFP