French authorities have handed preliminary charges to one of President Emmanuel Macron’s top security aides after he was captured on video allegedly beating a protester in May.
The charges came after French authorities opened a judicial investigation over the alleged assault, which has sparked the first major political crisis for Mr Macron since he took office last year.
A judge handed Alexandre Benalla multiple charges on Sunday night. They included violence, interfering in the exercise of public office and the unauthorised public display of official insignia.
The video, made public by Le Monde newspaper on Wednesday, showed Mr Benalla apparently wearing a police helmet at the May Day protest. He is not a police officer.
Four others were also charged: Vincent Crase, who worked for Mr Macron’s party and was with Mr Benalla on the day of the protest, and three police officers who were suspected of illegally passing footage from the event to Mr Benalla.
Mr Crase was handed preliminary charges of violence and prohibited possession of a weapon.
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