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| Minister defends failing to act over Macron aide's protester attack | Minister defends failing to act over Macron aide's protester attack |
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| The French interior minister has admitted he was told of a presidential security aide’s attacks on May Day protesters more than two months ago but said it was not his role to report them to the police. | The French interior minister has admitted he was told of a presidential security aide’s attacks on May Day protesters more than two months ago but said it was not his role to report them to the police. |
| Quizzed by MPs, Gérard Collomb said Alexandre Benalla’s violent behaviour was unacceptable but that the Élysée adviser’s presence at the demonstrations as an observer was legitimate. However, he admitted he had no idea how Benalla had obtained a police armband and radio. | |
| On Sunday, Benalla, 26, a member of president Emmanuel Macron’s inner circle, was put under official investigation for “gang violence” and impersonating a police officer. The charges came after Benalla was captured on video attacking a young man and a woman at a 1 May protest. | On Sunday, Benalla, 26, a member of president Emmanuel Macron’s inner circle, was put under official investigation for “gang violence” and impersonating a police officer. The charges came after Benalla was captured on video attacking a young man and a woman at a 1 May protest. |
| A second man employed by Macron’s centrist La République en Marche party, Vincent Crase, was also indicted for violence against demonstrators. Three senior police officers were put under investigation for allegedly passing video footage of the assaults to Benalla. | A second man employed by Macron’s centrist La République en Marche party, Vincent Crase, was also indicted for violence against demonstrators. Three senior police officers were put under investigation for allegedly passing video footage of the assaults to Benalla. |
| The national assembly postponed a debate on constitutional reforms to hold an extraordinary session on Monday on what has become known as the “Benalla affair”, with opposition MPs accusing the president and government of a cover-up. | The national assembly postponed a debate on constitutional reforms to hold an extraordinary session on Monday on what has become known as the “Benalla affair”, with opposition MPs accusing the president and government of a cover-up. |
| Collomb began the two-hour grilling stating: “I condemn with the greatest firmness the acts of Mr Benalla … they are against my values.” | Collomb began the two-hour grilling stating: “I condemn with the greatest firmness the acts of Mr Benalla … they are against my values.” |
| He then described the “unusual brutality” police faced during the May Day protests and the hail of Molotov cocktails that threatened to turned officers into “human torches”. | He then described the “unusual brutality” police faced during the May Day protests and the hail of Molotov cocktails that threatened to turned officers into “human torches”. |
| He said when he learned of Benalla’s behaviour 24-hours later that he believed that appropriate action was being taken against the security officer, who was suspended from his post for two weeks. It was not until Le Monde published new videos and information on Wednesday 19 July, showing Benalla wearing a police armband and carrying a police radio, that he considered it necessary to know more about the assault. | He said when he learned of Benalla’s behaviour 24-hours later that he believed that appropriate action was being taken against the security officer, who was suspended from his post for two weeks. It was not until Le Monde published new videos and information on Wednesday 19 July, showing Benalla wearing a police armband and carrying a police radio, that he considered it necessary to know more about the assault. |
| Collomb said he had never raised the question of Benalla with the president before Sunday, when Macron held a hastily arranged dinner at the Élysée on Sunday to discuss the crisis. | Collomb said he had never raised the question of Benalla with the president before Sunday, when Macron held a hastily arranged dinner at the Élysée on Sunday to discuss the crisis. |
| “We spoke as little as possible about the facts. The discussion was simple: the truth nothing but the truth; the facts, nothing but the facts,” Collomb said to jeers and laughter from MPs. | “We spoke as little as possible about the facts. The discussion was simple: the truth nothing but the truth; the facts, nothing but the facts,” Collomb said to jeers and laughter from MPs. |
| During the session, Collomb said responsibility for sanctioning Benalla rested with the president’s office or the police prefecture. He insisted he did not know about the police handing over video evidence until the article in Le Monde last week. | During the session, Collomb said responsibility for sanctioning Benalla rested with the president’s office or the police prefecture. He insisted he did not know about the police handing over video evidence until the article in Le Monde last week. |
| Collomb said Benalla, who trained as a gendarme in June 2009 but later left the service, held the grade of Lt-Col in the “operational reserves”. | Collomb said Benalla, who trained as a gendarme in June 2009 but later left the service, held the grade of Lt-Col in the “operational reserves”. |
| Asked if it was normal for Benalla to be carrying a weapon, the minister replied his request to carry a weapon was twice refused by his predecessor in 2013 and by his ministry in 2017. He obtained a permit last year, but not from the interior ministry, Collomb added. French media have reported that the president’s office requested Benalla be issued with a firearm. | Asked if it was normal for Benalla to be carrying a weapon, the minister replied his request to carry a weapon was twice refused by his predecessor in 2013 and by his ministry in 2017. He obtained a permit last year, but not from the interior ministry, Collomb added. French media have reported that the president’s office requested Benalla be issued with a firearm. |
| Collomb said that on the day of the demonstration, Benalla was issued with a police helmet and visor, but he had no idea how the security adviser obtained a police armband or police frequency radio, and that this was an element of the internal police inquiry. | Collomb said that on the day of the demonstration, Benalla was issued with a police helmet and visor, but he had no idea how the security adviser obtained a police armband or police frequency radio, and that this was an element of the internal police inquiry. |
| “It is not normal he had the armband and the radio,” Collomb said. | “It is not normal he had the armband and the radio,” Collomb said. |
| Ugo Bernalicis, from the leftwing party France Unbowed, reminded Collomb of article 40 of France’s penal code, which states that any official public officer who learns of a crime or offence must transmit this to the prosecutor. | |
| Bernalicis asked if it was the first time Benalla had attended a demonstration as an observer. Collomb said he would check. | Bernalicis asked if it was the first time Benalla had attended a demonstration as an observer. Collomb said he would check. |
| Marine Le Pen, the far-right leader, asked how a presidential bodyguard could be so close to the French president when the interior ministry appeared to know nothing about his background. She asked if Benalla had been subject to security vetting. | Marine Le Pen, the far-right leader, asked how a presidential bodyguard could be so close to the French president when the interior ministry appeared to know nothing about his background. She asked if Benalla had been subject to security vetting. |
| Gilbert Collard, an independent rightwing MP close to Le Pen, launched into a verbal attack on the minister, saying: “We have the impression everything happened without you knowing … you appear to have knowledge of nothing. I understand the minister’s embarrassment … how did he, interior minister, not know all this?” | Gilbert Collard, an independent rightwing MP close to Le Pen, launched into a verbal attack on the minister, saying: “We have the impression everything happened without you knowing … you appear to have knowledge of nothing. I understand the minister’s embarrassment … how did he, interior minister, not know all this?” |
| The scandal is the subject of inquiries at the national assembly and the senate as well as an internal police inquiry. The Élysée has announced an internal staff reshuffle. | The scandal is the subject of inquiries at the national assembly and the senate as well as an internal police inquiry. The Élysée has announced an internal staff reshuffle. |
| Macron launched a belated damage limitation exercise as the scandal ballooned. The French leader, who had remained silent until now, gave a first reaction on Sunday evening via advisers who reported he considered Benalla’s behaviour “shocking and unacceptable” and spoke of “clear failings” at the Élysée. | Macron launched a belated damage limitation exercise as the scandal ballooned. The French leader, who had remained silent until now, gave a first reaction on Sunday evening via advisers who reported he considered Benalla’s behaviour “shocking and unacceptable” and spoke of “clear failings” at the Élysée. |
| He apparently let it be known he would speak publicly on the subject “when he judged the moment right”. | He apparently let it be known he would speak publicly on the subject “when he judged the moment right”. |
| The tardy Elysée response was not enough to reassure the French media. Le Figaro summed up political and public anger in a critical editorial, saying: “To those who wanted to believe in ‘the new breath’ of Macronism and ‘renewal’ of political behaviour, the Benalla affair brings you spooks, black offices, parallel police, princely acts and special privileges.” | The tardy Elysée response was not enough to reassure the French media. Le Figaro summed up political and public anger in a critical editorial, saying: “To those who wanted to believe in ‘the new breath’ of Macronism and ‘renewal’ of political behaviour, the Benalla affair brings you spooks, black offices, parallel police, princely acts and special privileges.” |
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