The Paris prosecutor announced Sunday 23rd December, 2018 the opening of an investigation for “willful violence” by Yellow Vests against police near the Champs-Elysees on Saturday.
In the aftermath of clashes in Paris between protesters ” yellow vests ” and police on motorbikes whose videos have toured the media and indignant the government, theParis prosecutor announced Sunday the opening of an investigation for ” voluntary violence ” committed against police officers.
Entrusted to 1st district of the Paris judicial police, the investigation concerns “deliberate violence with weapons in meetings on persons holding public authority and degrading public property”, said the prosecutor’s office, without further details.
The police used grenades
The scene took place at the intersection of Avenue George V and the Champs-Elysees, at the end of the day as the police gradually evacuated the Fields, the sixth Saturday in a row of demonstrations of “yellow vests”.
On videos, we see police officers beside their motorcycles, struggling with the advancing protesters, including use of tear gas, without being able to stop them.
VIDÉO – Un policier sort son arme à feu alors que des motards de la police sont attaqués sur les #ChampsElysées : nouvelles images de la scène. #GiletsJaunes #ActesVI pic.twitter.com/j8vpLuMbCK
— Clément Lanot (@ClementLanot) December 22, 2018
Three of these bikers, helmeted, are then attacked by protesters who knock down one of their motorcycles and throw at them, pavement pieces towards them and their bikes.
The police repel them at first, with kicks and tear gas in particular. One of them then draws his pistol by pointing at a protester, before quickly putting it back in his holster.
A motorcycle stays lying on the road
While the police are trying to get back on their motorcycles, they are attacked by about twenty protesters, who do not all wear “yellow vests”. Overwhelmed, the bikers, members of the Security and Response Company (CSI), managed to leave on two motorcycles, leaving the third lying on the road.
Protesters then attack the bike with kicks, before being repulsed by the police. Police will recover soon after restarting.
There was no interpellation at the end of these facts, said the prefecture of Paris.
Prime Minister Edouard Philippe blasted Sunday on Twitter “assaults of unprecedented violence against police.”
Un simulacre de décapitation du chef de l’Etat… Des agressions d’une violence inouïe contre des policiers… Des gestes antisémites en plein Paris… Il est hors de question de banaliser de tels gestes qui doivent faire l’objet d’une condamnation unanime et de sanctions pénales.
— Edouard Philippe (@EPhilippePM) December 23, 2018
“The most severe judicial responses will be made,” said Emmanuel Macron on Sunday, travelling to Chad, alluding to these excesses.
“He protects his colleagues to roll back the attackers”
His Interior Minister Christophe Castaner ruled that the police had “an exemplary attitude to unspeakable attacks.”
“A policeman actually takes out his weapon in protection of his colleagues, he does not use it, he protects his colleagues to back the attackers. This policeman will have to make a report, these are the rules, “explained Saturday night Laurent Nuñez on BFMTV.
Ce matin à Montmartre, ce soir sur les Champs-Élysées, nos forces de l’ordre ont été odieusement prises pour cible par des individus face auxquels elles ont réagi avec sans froid et professionnalisme.
Respect et soutien. pic.twitter.com/eJqVMCHDSi— Laurent Nunez (@NunezLaurent) December 22, 2018
The union Unsa-Police denounced for its part “an attempt to lynch on the Champs-Elysees”.
#ActeVI #Acte6 @UNSAPOLICE #csi75 pic.twitter.com/p5FptflYMI
— UNSA POLICE SDSS (@UNSA_SDSS) December 22, 2018
