an investigation opened and entrusted to the IGPN after the broadcast of a video showing a policeman punching a protester

The publication of a video showing a member of the security forces punching a demonstrator caused the Paris police chief to react. Laurent Nunez announced on Tuesday March 21 on BFMTV that he had requested the opening of an administrative investigation. An investigation was opened and entrusted to the General Inspectorate of the National Police (IGPN)said the Paris prosecutor’s office to franceinfo, confirming information from BFMTV.

The facts occurred in Paris, rue Saint-Antoine, near the Place de la Bastille, on Monday evening, during a spontaneous demonstration against the pension reform. The video was posted on Twitter at 11:43 p.m. by Timothée Forget, who introduces himself as a journalism student and has been following the protesters for several days. We see in these images a member of the Motorized Violent Action Repression Brigades (Brav-M) delivering a violent punch in the face of a demonstrator. The latter falls to the ground and then remains motionless.

On BFMTV, Laurent Nunez explained that the demonstrator in question had opposed the arrest of another individual who had damaged a newsstand, visible on the right in the images. “It was within the framework of this maneuver that the blow was given”assured the prefect.

In the seconds before the punch, and as the video shows, the protester is backing up, when the policeman runs towards him for several meters to hit him, before turning around. “When we see the sequence, yes, the gesture seems unsuitable”recognized Laurent Nunez, who therefore requested the opening of an administrative investigation. “All the investigations are in progress to know if this blow was adapted”.

Timothée Forget told franceinfo that he had no direct information about the protester on the ground. The prefect of Paris adds that to his knowledge, “this injury was not serious”that the person was able to leave and that he was not placed in police custody.