Benjamin Griveaux is, since Saturday, protected by the Protection Service, also known as SDLP. The former candidate for Paris City Hall was not previously. Two policemen from this elite service of the National Police are now permanently dedicated to its security.
"Threats have been detected which go beyond the scope of the video case", but their typology remains confidential, police sources indicate.
The Protection Service is a service of the French Police responsible for close protection and security support missions for the benefit of leaders or ex-leaders of the French Republic, its foreign guests or even people who are especially threatened.
He had already been targeted
For the record, this is not the first time that Benjamin Griveaux has been the target of violent attacks. On January 5, 2019, the ministry of the then government spokesperson was attacked by a construction machine driven by yellow vests, while he was himself in the midst of an interview with journalists. He must then have been exfiltrated by security.
Such intrusion into a ministry is very rare. The last one dates back to 1999 with the ransacking by farmers of Dominique Voynet's office at the Ministry of Regional Planning and the Environment.
The shocking images of the attack on the ministry of Benjamin Griveaux
It was not the only incident targeting him during the Yellow Vest movement. During Act 9, on January 12, 2019, around fifty demonstrators had attempted to approach Benjamin Griveaux's second home in Saône-et-Loire. They had given up after major gendarmerie reinforcements were deployed.
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Benjamin Griveaux evacuated: "We will not yield to violence"