Paris (France) (AFP) – Two demonstrators, accused of having hit police officers during the social mobilization of October 31 in Paris, have filed a complaint against members of the police for aggravated violence and, for one of them, for sexual assault.

Published on: 08/11/2026 - 17:40

Their complaints were presented on Wednesday, AFP learned on Sunday from sources close to the matter. Asked by AFP to know if it had opened an investigation, the prosecution did not respond immediately.

The two men were simultaneously presented on Saturday to a magistrate, who decided that they would be tried later for violence against a person holding public authority, according to another source close to the case.

One of the demonstrators is accused of having punched a police officer in the face, she added. The latter was prescribed "three days of total incapacity for work (ITT) for broken teeth and five days of psychological ITT", the Paris police headquarters (PP) told AFP.

The second demonstrator is suspected of having punched another civil servant, without causing incapacity for work, according to these two sources. The two officials “filed a complaint”, indicated the PP.

The two demonstrators, who were placed under judicial supervision, categorically deny the alleged facts.

One of the defense lawyers, John Bingham, denounced to the AFP a "two-speed justice", with a "very rapid" presentation of the young people to a magistrate, when "we can expect that the police officers targeted by the complaint will be heard in much longer time".

If complaints have been filed "for acts committed during their arrest or in police custody, an investigation will be opened and will make it possible to establish the exact circumstances of the facts and to shed light on this matter", assured the PP.

One of the two demonstrators, who claims to have had a 15-day ITT, told his version of the facts to AFP.

While demonstrating during the third Saturday of social protest against the high cost of living, Léo (first name changed) claims to have "feared for (his) life" when he found himself surrounded by personnel from the BRAV-M (Brigade for the Repression of Motorized Violent Action). “I said to myself: ‘It’s time to mess up’.”

“Completely naked”

Léo remembers “being hit by someone who was running in (his) direction”. Then, “I was told that a police officer had a broken tooth.”

He is arrested and handcuffed, a police officer "grabs his genitals" and "forcefully squeezes his testicles and his penis" while insulting him: "You're my little whore", "We're going to smash you", "You'll see, it'll be fun, there's no camera in the car", according to elements of his complaint of which AFP was aware.

“No security pat-down can consist of forcefully grabbing and squeezing a person’s genitals,” accuses the complaint, denouncing sexual assault by violence and coercion.

Léo says he vomited in pain during transport to the police station, after a police officer hit his head against the wall of the vehicle.

In this same van was the second complainant.

When they arrived at the Paris police station, the two men were “swept to the ground”, taking numerous blows, says Léo. “There were two cameras filled with tape so you couldn’t see anything.”

The second complainant describes a violent interrogation "completely naked", according to his complaint of which AFP was aware.

“Did you upset your colleague?” a police officer asks him, before this official “takes his breath away” with a blow to the liver. “Breathe or we’ll fuck you,” a police officer told him, again according to his story.

Léo stumbles over words when he tells AFP about the aftermath of his search. "I have 21 piercings. I am asked to remove everything, obviously I am not fit, my hands are sweaty. I am told that for each piercing that I cannot remove, it is a slap. I have received around thirty slaps, shoving, insults."

“I am terrified by the chilling story of this police custody,” Alice Becker, his lawyer, commented to AFP.

Today, Léo “admits to being afraid” of returning to demonstrate.

© 2026 AFP

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