Police fired tear gas after clashes erupted in the suburbs of Paris as demonstrators protested over the assault of a young black man who was allegedly anally raped with a baton while being arrested, reports news.com.au.
Surrounded by a heavy police contingent, about 2000 protesters - some carrying placards saying “Police rape” and “Police kill innocent people” - gathered in Bobigny, northeast of the French capital, to demand “Justice for Théo”.
Théo, a 22-year-old black youth worker, required surgery after his arrest on February 2 in the “3,000” estate in the gritty suburb of Aulnay-sous-Bois, when he claims a police officer sodomised him with a baton.
Two media vehicles were also attacked, with no casualties reported. The demonstration ended in the evening after police fired tear gas. Théo, who is still in hospital, and his family have appealed for calm after several days of protests over the alleged assault.
Rape charges* have been filed against the officer and all four police involved in Théo’s stop-and-search have been suspended pending an investigation.
Read more of this AFP report published by news.com.au.
*Editor's note: Under a change to the French legal system introduced in 1993, a magistrate can decide a suspect should be 'placed under investigation' (mise en examen), which is a status one step short of being charged (inculpé), if there is 'serious or concordant' evidence that they committed a crime. Some English-language media describe this status, peculiar to French criminal law, as that of being charged. In fact, it is only at the end of an investigation that a decision can be made to bring charges, in which case the accused is automatically sent for trial.