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The four French policemen suspected of beating a black music producer in Paris will be charged, according to French media. 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.
The Zecler case is taking place in light of an infected debate over a projected 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 on 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 black” several times, right in the face, while they beat me, he says.
A neighbor who caught The assault on the film says that one of the policemen struck Zecler in the face “maybe seven times” while he was on his knees, with such force that the same policemen suffered a 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.
Read more: Violent police operation against black man sparks protests in France
Read more: French protest against the new police law: “Threat to fundamental rights”
