The Associated Press reported on Thursday that police officers in Paris were reported to have beaten a black man this week and beaten him for no apparent reason.
According to the news agency, three officers were suspended immediately after footage of the attack came out. The victim has been identified as an artist named Michelle.
French Interior Minister Gerald Durmani has ordered the suspension of officials, the AP reported.
The attack took place on Saturday, after officers followed the man to his music studio, where officers beat the man using a conch shell and punched him, according to the AP, video images and security footage were reviewed.
Shortly after the shooting, police stormed out of the studio and found a backup. They then started tear gas in the studio, so the other artists who were recording music got out of there.
Hafida al-Ali, a lawyer representing Mitchell, told the AP that once they went out and were “thrown to the ground” and the same moment when a police officer sees that they are being filmed. It wasn’t until then, al-Ali told the outlet, that officers stopped attacking him.
Mitchell, who was later taken into custody, said he did not know why he was attacked.
“I want to understand why I was attacked by people wearing police uniforms. I really want justice because I believe in justice for my country, “he said.
Al-Ali told the AP: “He asked them what they wanted, if they would check his identity. … video of the violence, they didn’t stop beating him [inside the studio] Lasts for 12 minutes. ”
Officials claimed Mitchell was behaving dangerously.
Al Ali pushed the authorities’ claim about his client, saying he “never committed violence against the police. … He didn’t even defend himself. “
News of the suspension comes under pressure to make laws in France that would ban police from recording.
Al Ali told the AP, “These videos are necessary because my client was initially detained … for violence against public authorities.”
“It simply came to our notice then. The reality is that if we didn’t have these videos my client would probably be in jail.
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