The man who was filmed Thursday insulting the polemicist Eric Zemmour in the streets of Paris will be tried for " threats " on September 9 before the criminal court, AFP learned Tuesday. The prosecution had announced Saturday to AFP the opening of an investigation for " violence " and "threats" after the video was broadcast on social networks.
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In this video of April 30, published on the Snapchat network, the man films Eric Zemmour walking alone, shopping bag in hand, in the streets of the capital. He then follows him for a few dozen meters, insults him several times and threatens him. Later, the man films himself facing the camera and claims to have spit on Eric Zemmour. " I really regret my move, " said the man on Sunday in a new video on Snapchat. " When I saw him I got carried away ", but " I did not touch him " and " I did not spit on him, " he said.
Summoned by investigators from the Brigade for the Suppression of Crime against the Person (BRDP), the suspect " had presented himself on Monday afternoon, " said the prosecution. Placed in police custody, he was brought before the prosecution on Tuesday, who decided to have him tried at the start of the school year for these facts. In the meantime, " the person concerned has been placed under judicial control " with in particular a " ban on appearing in Paris ", said the public prosecutor.
Read also: Eric Zemmour attacked: the Paris prosecutor's office opens an investigation
Many political and media figures have denounced this aggression, including Secretary of State Marlène Schiappa, President of the Senate Gérard Larcher, leader of the Republicans Christian Jacob, or even some of his employers such as the Cnews channel and associations like Licra. The columnist said on Cnews Monday that he had received a phone call from President Emmanuel Macron following the attack.
Eric Zemmour must himself appear before the criminal court soon for " public insult of a racial nature " and " public provocation to racial hatred ". These proceedings, also initiated by the Paris prosecutor's office, target his virulent speech against immigration and Islam made during a " Right-wing convention " at the end of September in Paris and broadcast live on television. The trial, originally scheduled for January, had been postponed to May 13, but may be postponed again due to the health crisis.
