Bordeaux: The Yellow Vest Wounded in the Head, Placed in an Artificial Coma. His Wife Testifies

In Bordeaux, during the demonstration of yellow vests, a man was hit in the head by the police. Operated urgently, this volunteer firefighter has since been in a coma.

I have been “flooded with calls and messages” since this weekend. Cindy, resident of Bazas, near Langon ( Gironde ), is the wife of the man who was hit in the head by a projectile of the police, during the demonstration of the yellow vests, in Bordeaux , Saturday 12th January.

Since the incident, Olivier is in the hospital center of Pellegrin , plunged into an artificial coma.

“He was bathing in the blood”

His wife says:

“I was with him in St. Catherine Street. At one point, we did not take the same lane. After a quarter of an hour, I retraced my steps. This is where I saw a medical team around a man. I understood that it was him. He was bathed in blood”

#Bordeaux Un homme vient de recevoir un tir de flashball à la tête.#GiletsJaunes #ActeIX #Acte9 #12janvier #12janvier2019 pic.twitter.com/jcJfCxkXN2
— Stéphanie Roy (@Steph_Roy_) 12 January 2019

As she approaches, Cindy discovers “a hole between the temple and the ear”. Evacuated and transported to the hospital, Olivier undergoes a scan that reveals a cerebral hemorrhage. Operated in emergency, he was then placed in an artificial coma.

The volunteer firefighter was mobilized in Bordeaux, 15 days ago

Father of three children, Olivier is a volunteer firefighter . A fortnight ago, “he was at the demonstration of yellow vests to treat the wounded”. “I did not imagine that such a thing could happen,” laments his wife, also a volunteer firefighter for twenty years.

Cindy testifies:

Saturday, we went to the demonstration of the yellow vests on principle. Because we agree with this mobilization. We just went there to scroll. Olivier thought we were safe. I am horrified to see such behavior, I do not admit this gesture

#GiletJaune blessé à la tête par un tir de flashball à #Bordeaux : les images de sa prise en charge par les street medics puis de son évacuation par les pompiers. #ActeIX #Acte9 #GiletsJaunes #12janvier2019 #LBD pic.twitter.com/9wNatyQesc
— Hippolyte Radisson (@H_Radisson) 13 January 2019

“To our children aged 6 and 8, I tried to explain to them in words that they can understand, says the mother. Our youngest, 2 year old, still believes his dad is with the firefighters. ”

At this point, it is still too early to know if Olivier will have sequelae. I was told he was not going home right away, Cindy blows. Once we wake up we’ll know. I was told it would be long. And it was serious. ”

[Attention images difficiles] Un #giletjaune blessé évacué par les pompiers à Bordeaux @elo_maou #AFP pic.twitter.com/CAft1LeqY5
— Agence France-Presse (@afpfr) 12 January 2019

The IGPN seized by the prefect

The prefect of New Aquitaine , Didier Lallement , has seized the General Inspectorate of the National Police ( IGPN ) to “shed light” on this case. To date, we do not yet know the nature of the projectile that affected Olivier.