The trial of three police officers accused of beating Michel Zecler opens in Paris

When the hearing begins, Monday November 9 at 10 a.m., half an hour late, Michel Zecler has still not entered the small room chosen by the Paris Court of Appeal. This music producer, a 47-year-old black man, finally arrives a few minutes later, in a navy blue suit over a white shirt, just in time to confirm that he is a civil party in the trial of the three police officers accused of having beaten him on November 21, 2020, during his arrest for not wearing a mask, in the midst of the Covid-19 epidemic.

Six years later, Aurélien Laperson, Pierre Plantier and Philippe Tondeux, suspended from the police since the events, were referred to the Paris criminal court for aggravated violence and forgery of public documents. All three appear free, but under judicial supervision, for two weeks. They arrived with a surgical mask on their faces, which they removed while sitting in the dock. At the opening of the hearing, they successively took the floor to state their identity.

“We can’t even come and support our guy”

In addition to the public, who came in large numbers, several personalities made the trip to support Michel Zecler, including the deputy mayor of Paris Audrey Pulvar, the singer Princess Erika and the actor Jean-Pascal Zadi. The latter declared to AFP: "Even when we suffer attacks, attacks from the police, we can't even come and support our guy. I think it's a tragedy of French society which still minimizes the words of black people." Afterwards, he was able to enter the room, as was Princess Erika. “I ask everyone to take turns, respecting the calm of the room,” demanded the president of the court at the opening of the debates.