Sarah Meyssonnier via Reuters
JUSTICE – Gérald Darmanin asked the Paris police headquarters on Sunday January 16 to report to the courts after the publication of a photo of a group of far-right activists, suspected of having paraded in Paris on Saturday making Nazi salutes.
“This photo taken on the sidelines of the movement’s anti-pass demonstration says ‘the Patriots’ rightly shocks many. At my request, the Prefecture of Police has made a report to Justice so that all the necessary follow-up can be taken”, tweeted the Minister of the Interior.
This photo taken on the sidelines of the anti-pass demonstration of the so-called “Patriots” movement shocks many, and rightly so. At my request, the Prefecture of Police made a report to the Justice so that all the necessary follow-up could be taken. pic.twitter.com/NrgLKpYCFq
— Gérald DARMANIN (@GDarmanin) January 16, 2022
The photo freezes most of the members of the procession with their arms outstretched, raised towards the sky, which could suggest the posture of Nazi salutes, which is not established at this stage. Others may have seen it as a “clapping”, a ritual for supporters to applaud a team during play or at the end of a match.
Journalists attacked during the demonstration
On the photo, in particular broadcast on the Telegram loop “Ouest Casual” popular with the identity movement but also on Twitter, several dozen people, dressed in black and hooded for some, parade behind a banner “liberties are not granted, they take each other”. “White Block of 200 nationalists at the demonstration against the health pass”, is thus captioned the photo on “Ouest Casual”.
“Following the minister’s tweet, the prosecution received the report from the police headquarters and will decide what action to take,” the PP confirmed to AFP.
On Saturday, two image reporter journalists (JRI) from AFP, as well as their two close protection guards, were violently attacked by a group of about fifty people, identified as far-right, while covering the anti-vaccination pass rally organized by Les Patriotes.
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