Four French policeman charged over assaulting Black rap producer in Paris

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Four French policeman have been charged over assaulting a Black rap producer in Paris.

In November, a video emerged online via news outlet Loopsider of an incident which took place in Black rap producer Michel Zecler’s studio. In the footage from the incident, which took place on the 21st November, three police officers can be seen beating Zecler for five minutes, before a fourth enters and disperses tear gas.

Zecler alleged that during the incident the police also repeatedly uttered racial slurs, but the video did not contain audio. According to BBC news, the four French police officers are now facing charges of “intentional violence by a person holding authority”.

In addition to the “intentional violence” charge, all four officers are accused of forgery for a police report filed after the incident, which said that there was a “a strong smell of cannabis” on Zecler, and that he resisted a search.

French president Emmanuel Macron described the incident as “shameful”, and a number of French public figures have spoken out about the violence Zecler suffered at the hands of authoritive figures.