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From: TT
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Photo: Francois Mori / AP / TT
A protester holds up a poster with the bitter message “Rule of law for the police” during a protest in Paris against a bill that would restrict the right to publish photographs of police officers on duty.
The four French police officers suspected of beating a black music producer in Paris will be charged, according to French media.
The beating of Michel Zecler a little over a week ago has sparked great anger in France. The incident became known after a movie clip circulated widely online, and on Friday the four suspects were arrested.
Three of the police officers are charged with crimes that can roughly translate into police violence and false statements, Le Monde reports in reference to prosecutors. The fourth is suspected of assaulting Zecler and nine other people who were in the music studio where the attack took place. Two of the four are in custody awaiting trial.
Prohibition of police images
The Zecler case takes place in light of an infected debate over a planned French law that would restrict the right to publish photographs of police officers on duty. On Saturday, tens of thousands of Parisians demonstrated against the proposal, in a protest that ended in violent clashes. Among other things, award-winning Syrian photographer and AFP employee Ameer al-Halbi broke his nose after taking a photo of a policeman striking a person lying on the ground, according to his own testimony on the BFMTV television channel.
Prosecutor Rémy Heitz announced Sunday that he believes Zecler’s beating was racist. That point of view is supported by the victim’s own testimony.
– They called me “dirty nigger” several times, right in the face, while they beat me, he says.
Captured on film
A neighbor who captured the assault on film claims that one of the policemen struck Zecler in the face “maybe seven times” while he was on his knees, with such force that the policemen themselves suffered pain in the hand.
Several French sports stars and artists have come out and expressed their public support for Michel Zecler, including soccer player Kylian Mbappé.
French President Emmanuel Macron calls the incident “a disgrace.” Many observers point out, however, that it would never have been known if the controversial image publishing law had gone into effect.
The law was approved by the National Assembly and is now pending approval in the Senate, according to AFP.
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