Inquiry into beating by Macron’s senior aide

French authorities opened ajudicialinvestigationover the beating of a protester in May by one of President Emmanuel Macron’s top security aides.

The incident was caught oncameraandhassparked the first major political crisis of Macron’s tenure.

The Paris prosecutor’s office said Alexandre Benalla and four others went before a judge yesterday and charges could be brought in the case soon. Benalla, 26, faces possible charges of violence by a public official, illegal use of surveillance video and impersonating a police officer.

A video showed Benalla, who handled Macron’s campaign security, surrounded by riot police at a demonstration. He he brutally dragged a woman from the crowd and then repeatedly beat a young male protester on the ground.