An investigation has been opened to determine the circumstances in which Nicolas N., a Sud Rail trade unionist, lost an eye during the March 23 demonstration in Paris, while demonstrating against the pension reform.
Sébastien N. has worked for SNCF for 23 years. VSheminot, he is in charge of the maintenance of the TGV. On March 23, this trade unionist South Rail to Villeneuve-Saint-Georges in the Val-de-Marne marches in Paris against the pension reform. Going to the head of the procession, he was hit in the eye, following the explosion of a grenade disencirclement, according to his son who demonstrates with him.
“We felt that there were beginning to be tensions. We turn around. I’m not all black. No cap. Rather in yellow, with my union organization. As I headed back the other way, I found myself among a group of people. Suddenly, I don’t understand what is happening to me. I take my left eye. My son tells me that a disencirclement grenade hit me and I see that my eye is bleeding. I did not expect that. I didn’t hear any warnings and the police were relatively far from us. Next to us there were a lot of people who weren’t thugs“, he said in an interview he gave us on April 1st.
“I intend to file a complaint. I was contacted by the General Inspectorate of the National Police (IGPN) at the request of the prosecutor. However, I take the time to prioritize my health before initiating legal proceedings. I will contact a lawyer in a few days. I owe it to all those who continue to demonstrate in a peaceful way”, he had explained.
In mid-April, Sébastien N. filed a complaint against X with the prosecution for aggravated willful violence “resulting in mutilation or permanent disability”.
Investigation opened by the Paris prosecutor’s office
For its part, the public prosecutor claims to have seized the IGPN on March 30, after having received a report, on March 27, from a senator “reporting several videos circulating on social networks” which showed scenes of this demonstration.
An investigation was opened for intentional violence by a person holding public authority at the end of March, confirmed the prosecution. It first consisted of “identify the victim“Visible on the videos, in particular by contacting the trade unionist’s federation, explained the prosecution. The IGPN then “offered an appointment”, he explains.
Investigations are continuing, with police currently operating “videos recovered from social networks and video surveillance of public roads“.
“Sébastien N. will never recover his sight”deplored this Wednesday his lawyer Aïnoha Pascual, affirming “hasa look at the first elements“that the trade unionist had been injured by a disencirclement grenade shot”even as he was walking with his son (…) within the procession and several tens of meters from the police“.
Me Pascual denounced in his press release “a general context of repression of police violence“and castigated one”assumed desire to dissuade by fear by marking the flesh and the spirits“.
Since the first day of mobilization against the pension reform in January, the IGPN has been seized of 59 judicial inquiries according to the director of the IGPN, Agnès Thibault-Lecuivre.
With AFP