The prosecution on Monday requested a four-month suspended prison sentence against a CGT activist prosecuted for throwing a bottle at the police during a demonstration in Strasbourg last week.
More than thirty people demonstrated in front of the Strasbourg court in support of their comrade arrested after Thursday's demonstration.
Jérôme Herrbach, a 50-year-old metallurgist and employee of the Safran factory in Molsheim (Bas-Rhin), had been placed in pre-trial detention for his trial in immediate appearance.
He was part of the inter-union order service responsible for overseeing the demonstration against the pension reform.
"
I regret my action and will take responsibility for it
," said Mr. Herrbach, who admitted the facts, to the court.
“
At the end, we found ourselves in the Place de la République, there were a lot of people.
There was hubbub.
We got gassed.
I lost my temper and threw a bottle, I don't know why.
Fortunately, there were no injuries
,” he added.
“This reflex for which he will pay”
Prosecutor Elise Wolton requested a four-month suspended prison sentence, a ban on carrying a weapon for three years, ineligibility and a ban on protesting for a year.
"
He was wrong to have this reflex for which he will pay
," said the defendant's lawyer, Caroline Bolla.
She asked that the ban on demonstrations not be pronounced.
A total of nine people were arrested during the demonstration, which brought together between 3,400 and 10,000 people, according to the prefecture and the unions.
“
I have been an activist for twenty years here in Strasbourg.
This is the first time that an activist has been arrested and mistreated in this way
, ”said Amar Ladraa, CGT metallurgy Grand Est manager, to AFP.
“
We think that it is above all a desire of this government to make an example of it
”.