Seine-Saint-Denis: a police officer hits a man on the ground, an administrative investigation opened

A video posted on social networks this weekend shows a police officer who hits a man on the ground, during his arrest in Noisy-le-Grand (Seine-Saint-Denis).

An administrative investigation has been opened, the Paris police headquarters announced on Twitter on Sunday.

A video showing an arrest by police officers at #NoisyLeGrand is circulating on social networks.

➡️ An administrative investigation is opened.

pic.twitter.com/sMVpzfJSeI

- Police Prefecture (@prefpolice) September 19, 2021

In these images taken from the balcony of a building, two police officers are questioning a man, kept on the ground.

Then a third official arrives who hits him with a punch and a kick in the head.

The facts took place Friday around 8:30 pm, while the police intervened for a "crowd with noise, in the street", specified the public prosecutor's office of Bobigny.

The 22-year-old man was then taken into police custody and referred for immediate appearance on Monday for violence and contempt.

5 and 6 days of ITT for two officials

During their intervention, the police recognized this man, already known for contempt, and decided to put him aside.

But he got angry and hit the officers, according to a source close to the investigation.

Two officials had five and six days of ITT (total incapacity for work), said the prosecution.

For his part, the lawyer for the young man's family, Me Arié Alimi, announced his intention to file a complaint for “willful violence by a person holding public authority in a meeting and with weapons”.

He believes that his client had paid the price for a "conflictual context" in this neighborhood, following the release of another person.

Me Alimi indicated that he was "collecting all the testimonies".

"We regret that the prosecution, as usual, has chosen to defer after custody this young man without opening an investigation into the violence yet proven in view of the video and illegitimate," responded Me Alimi. "This is a protection of the police by the Bobigny prosecutor's office," he said.