An investigation into intentional violence by a person responsible for public authority was opened in Paris after the arrest on Saturday of Yssoufou Traoré, during a prohibited demonstration in memory of his brother Adama, said Wednesday, July 12, the prosecution, requested by Agence France-Presse (AFP).
Injured during his arrest by police who accuse him of having “striked” a police commissioner, Yssoufou Traoré, 29, filed a complaint. The investigations were entrusted to the General Inspectorate of the National Police (IGPN).
Several witnesses filmed the scene of the arrest: we can see in a video widely relayed on social networks Mr. Traoré resisting before being tackled and held to the ground by several police officers from BRAV-M, a police unit in motorcycle decried for its behavior during the recent movement against the pension reform.
These images also show a woman falling to the ground after being pushed by a police officer. This young woman filed a complaint, leading to the opening of a second investigation, also entrusted to the IGPN.
Belly tackle
The two investigations were opened for aggravated willful violence, resulting in total incapacity for work (ITT) of less than eight days, said the prosecution.
According to Yssoufou Traoré’s medical report, which AFP was able to consult, the ventral tackle he suffered caused him a broken nose, head trauma with eye contusion, thoracic, abdominal and lumbar bruises.
According to her complaint, which AFP has learned, the young woman has suffered since Saturday from bruises on her right shoulder and forearms, in particular.
At least two journalists filed a complaint, also denouncing violence by the police. Their complaints are being analyzed by the Paris prosecutor’s office.
Despite the ban from the police headquarters, around 2,000 people gathered in the capital on Saturday, behind Assa Traoré in memory of his brother Adama, who died shortly after his arrest by gendarmes in July 2016.
The police headquarters had banned this gathering because of the “tense context” in France since the death of Nahel M., 17, killed on June 27 by the shooting of a police officer during a traffic check in Nanterre.
The interior minister announced on Wednesday that a new demonstration against police violence scheduled for Saturday would be banned, “as well as any other demonstration directly related to the riots” until July 15.
