‘Rambo,’ security chief to Macron, roughs up French president’s image
▶ Interior minister to be questioned over video of woman dragged along street during Paris protest
Emmanuel Macron faces the gravest crisis of his 14-month presidency after a security chief was filmed mistreating a protester and assaulting another, leading to suspicions of a cover-up by the French government.
The Interior Minister, Gerard Collomb, will be questioned in parliament today and tomorrow over the incident, which has embarrassed a government that pledged to clean up French politics.
Alexandre Benalla was suspended for two weeks for his actions during the May 1 protest in Paris.
But he was allowed to return to duties that included responsibility for security at the Bastille Day parade on the Champs-Elysees and the return of the triumphant French football team from the World Cup.
Amid growing opposition anger, the Elysee announced on Friday that he would be dismissed, not for mistreating protesters but for improperly obtaining official documents. These are understood to be police video evidence he obtained to try to justify his actions.
Mr Benalla was arrested along with three police officers and another security official. He was also forced to postpone his marriage this weekend.
Three inquiries have been launched. A judicial investigation, which could lead to criminal charges, was opened yesterday.
Mr Benalla was filmed after joining officers dealing with incidents on the fringes of the May 1 demonstration. Wearing a helmet with police insignia and surrounded by riot police, he is seen dragging a young woman along the street and then striking a young man.
The film was circulated by another protester, but it was not until last week that Le Monde newspaper identified Mr Banalla as the aggressor.
Mr Benalla, 26, has a colourful past closely connected to politics. He previously worked as a bodyguard for the former president Francois Hollande and other senior politicians.
One of them, former minister Arnaud Montebourg, told Le Monde that he sacked Mr Benalla after he caused a road accident and then wanted to “flee the scene”.
Mr Benalla contests the politician’s account.
Photographs produced in recent days show how close he was to Mr Macron, as his security chief attached to the office of his chief of staff.
He enjoyed the highest level of access to parliament and helped to protect the president during his election campaign last year, and later during holidays and private visits with his wife, Brigitte.
His muscular approach to security work has earned him the nickname “Rambo”.
Mr Benalla is preparing a defence, claiming he acted lawfully by helping police deal with outbreaks of violence, Le
Journal du Dimanche reported.
Mr Collomb was made aware of the May Day incidents the next day.
Members of parliament will want to know why he did no more than pass the matter to Mr Macron’s chief of staff. He said nothing until Thursday, the day after reports appeared.
Jean-Luc Melenchon, leader of the left-wing La France Insoumise party, said he believed Mr Collomb and others would have to resign.
Eric Ciotti, from the centre-right Les Republicains, said: “At the very top, everything was done to keep the facts under wraps. The interior minister, the police prefecture and the Elysee have tried to hide the facts.
“If Le Monde had not revealed the affair, it would have remained an Elysee drawing room secret.”
The crisis follows a series of disclosures undermining Mr Macron’s bid to be seen as a breath of fresh air in the often murky world of French politics.
He has shown bold taste for change, defying months of strikes by rail workers opposed to reforms.
A new law to tighten ethics in public office was passed soon after he took power. But he has been unable to shrug off jibes that he is a “president for the rich”.
Opponents seized on the order of a new 1,200-piece dinner service for the Elysee – his office rejects claims it will cost more than €500,000 (Dh2.1 million) – his use of the presidential jet for a journey of only 110 kilometres and plans for a swimming pool at a shore-side presidential holiday retreat on the Mediterranean coast.
When a student addressed him as Manu, the diminutive form of his first name, he told him he should be addressed as “Monsieur le President”.
There has been no World Cup “bounce” in the opinion polls. The most recent, conducted after the 4-2 win over Croatia in the final, showed his disapproval rating had risen by six points to 59 per cent.