French minister grilled as aide scandal escalates
France’s interior minister on Monday defended his handling of a video showing a top security aide to President Emmanuel Macron allegedly hitting a May Day protester, a scandal that has rocked the government and prompted accusations of a cover-up.
Speaking before a parliamentary commission, Gerard Collomb said his staff had told him about the video on May 2, the day after Alexandre Benalla beat the man during a police operation to clear protesters from a Paris square.
But Collomb, who had faced calls from opposition legislators to resign, said his staff had informed police and Macron’s office about the incident.
“It was up to them to respond,” he said.
Benalla is seen wearing a police helmet and armband in the video and Collomb told legislators he was also in possession of a police radio – even though he was only there as an observer, accompanied by an officer who was supposed to ensure he did not take part.
Collomb said he did not know who invited Benalla to observe the May 1 demonstrations – which were marred this year by clashes between police and 200 violent demonstrators who smashed shop windows – or who provided Benalla and an associate, Vincent Crase, with armbands and radios.
Paris police chief Michel Delpuech was scheduled to appear before the panel later on Monday.
Macron has yet to speak publicly on “Benallagate”, which is swiftly becoming the most damaging scandal since he won the presidency last year promising to restore integrity to government.
On Monday, Macron called off his scheduled appearance on Wednesday at the Tour de France cycle race, though aides insisted the cancellation was unrelated to the case.
Opposition lawmakers have seized on the affair, with some accusing the government of covering up the violence allegedly committed by Benalla and Crase, a security agent employed by Macron’s Republic on the Move party.