A CRS (illustration).

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N. Bonzom / Maxele Presse

  • A CRS commander was sentenced Monday in Nancy for having punched a "yellow vest" in the face.

  • The court also issued an exemption from registration in bulletin number 2 of the police officer's criminal record.

  • The policeman, who was not suspended, said he was "insulted in a low voice" by the protester.

The facts date back to Saturday September 14, 2019 in Nancy, during "act 44" of the "yellow vests".

Following this violent demonstration, a video was circulated.

On it was visible a man, alone in the middle of several policemen, who was suddenly hit with a defense stick in the face from a CRS.

Then this demonstrator then retreated precipitously, to rush into a hall of a building, followed by the CRS.

Helmet on his head, the latter was difficult to identify but turned out to be the commander of CRS 30, based in Châtel-Saint-Germain (Moselle).

The latter was sentenced Monday in Nancy to two months suspended imprisonment for these facts.

The 54-year-old policeman, with a career considered so far exemplary, was sentenced by the criminal court for "willful violence by a person holding public authority," said the public prosecutor of Nancy François Pérain.

A "disproportionate" gesture

The court also issued an exemption from registration in bulletin number 2 of the police officer's criminal record.

The latter faced three years in prison and a fine of 45,000 euros, according to the magistrate.

This judgment is in accordance with the requisitions made by Mr. Pérain during the hearing last Thursday.

The video, which has gone viral on social networks, triggered the referral to the General Inspectorate of the National Police (IGPN) by Mr. Pérain, for whom the CRS gesture "could legitimately question".

In its report, the IGPN had notably concluded to a “disproportionate” gesture on the part of the CRS, according to the magistrate.

The policeman, who was not suspended, said he was "insulted in a low voice" by the protester.

He decided to challenge him using his defense stick, reported Pérain.

The protester, who had initially lodged a complaint but did not become a civil party at the hearing, said he had received the blow with the baton when he asked the CRS for his repository of identities and organization (RIO), otherwise said his personal identification number, according to the prosecutor.

At the hearing, the lawyer of the CRS, Me François Battle, had pleaded the release, considering that his client had been "thrown to the dogs".

The lawyer had qualified the demonstrator of "black bloc which makes all the demonstrations to annoy and hit the police officers", according to the regional daily newspaper

L'Est Républicain

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Justice

Alsace: Reduced sentence on appeal for the police officer who had struck a "yellow vest" with a baton

Justice

"Yellow vests": Two police officers indicted for violence, including the dislocation of Jérôme Rodrigues

  • Violence

  • Yellow vests

  • Justice

  • CRS

  • Lorraine

  • Nancy