Alexandre Benalla facing justice, three years after the violence of May 1, 2018
Alexandre Benalla during his hearing at the Senate Law Commission, September 19, 2018 in Paris.
AP - Thibault Camus
Text by: RFI Follow
2 min
This Monday, September 13, at 1:30 p.m., the trial of Alexandre Benalla opens.
The ex-collaborator of Emmanuel Macron is judged, among other things, for "willful violence in meetings".
The 30-year-old former official at the Elysee Palace is being prosecuted for attacking several people during the May 1 protests in 2018, and in particular a couple.
He faces three years in prison.
Advertising
Read more
This May 1, 2018, around 7 p.m., incidents broke out in the Latin Quarter, in Paris, between demonstrators and the police.
Place de la Contrescarpe, a couple throws projectiles.
A man,
Alexandre Benalla
, who is not wearing a uniform, but a police helmet, violently grabs the young woman, pulls her away and hits her.
During this time, CRS try to arrest his companion.
The young man is on the ground.
Alexandre Benalla intervenes,
strangles him to get him to stand up
, hits him ... When he realizes that he is being filmed, Emmanuel Macron's collaborator walks away.
The images are posted on social networks.
► To read also: Benalla case: a soap opera with multiple twists
One of the biggest scandals of the five-year term
Two and a half months later, the newspaper
Le Monde
identifies Alexandre Benalla.
Invited as an observer, he had nothing to do in the midst of the CRS.
He defends himself by asserting that he has only done his duty as a citizen by questioning delinquents.
What initially looked like a police blunder becomes one of the biggest scandals of the five-year term.
A scandal fueled by multiple twists and turns.
The Elysee Palace is suspected of having covered the case.
The day after the events, Alexandre Benalla received only 15 days of suspension.
It will take the revelations of the
World
for him to be dismissed and for the Paris prosecutor's office to open an investigation.
More than three years later, the trial will begin.
"There have been many attempts at political recovery, and even attempts to politicize them (his clients)"
Me Sahand Saber, lawyer for the couple molested by Alexandre Benalla
Marine of La Moissonnière
Newsletter
Receive all international news directly in your mailbox
I subscribe
Follow all the international news by downloading the RFI application
google-play-badge_FR
France
Justice
Alexandre benalla
Emmanuel Macron