Greek protester beaten by Macron’s aide Benalla ready to testify

The Greek protester beaten by Alexandre Benalla has been identified and is allegedly ready to testify to French prosecutor authorities, Greek media report on Sunday. A video released by Le Monde on Wednesday showed the head of the personal security of French President, Emmanuel Macron, beating a man during the 1. May 2018 demonstrations in Paris.

Benalla is seen wearing a riot police helmet and police tags, i.e. pretending to be a policeman, although he is just a bodyguard and furthermore he was off duty.

The video was first posted on social media on 1. May but at that point nobody knew the “policeman” who was beating the protester was Macron’ bodyguard.

🔴🔴🔴🔴 ALERTA VIOLENCES POLICIÈRES

DES POLICIERS TABASSENT ET GAZENT TOUT LE MONDE PLACE CONTREESCARPE !!
FAITES TOURNER IL FAUT QUE TOUT LE MONDE VOIT !!#ViolencesPolicieres #1erMai pic.twitter.com/Dabr6HHwyJ

— Taha Bouhafs🔻 (@T_Bouhafs) May 1, 2018

According t0 France24, Benalla had been given permission by the president’s office to attend the protests as an observer of the security operation, but had no authorization to take part in police work.

Another footage shows Benalla first pushing away a woman before he returns to take car eof the male protester.

French website closermag revealed that the Greek protester was held at police station for four hours and then he was released.

The revelations have triggered a political crisis in France because Macron did not fire his chief body guard earlier.

According to real.gr, the Greek protester seems to have contacted French authorities declaring he was ready to testify about the incident.

French media reported that the Greek protester belong to the anarchist scene and he had gone to Paris to join the traditional demonstrations on May 1st.

Alexandre Benalla was  taken into custody for police questioning over the incident on Friday.

He had initially been suspended for just 15 days and allowed to return to work. Just days ago he was seen in public helping to organize security for celebrations for the return of France’s World Cup champion soccer team.

French lawmakers have launched a six-month parliamentary inquiry into the incident itself, the lenient initial punishment, the failure of the authorities to report Benalla promptly to the judiciary, and the broader question of “the circumstances under which people who aren’t members of the security forces have been or may be involved in policing duties”.