French interior minister to be questioned by parliament Monday

PARIS (Special to The Portal) –

French Interior Minister Gerard Collomb will be questioned by parliament on Monday morning over President Emmanuel Macron’s bodyguard who was filmed beating a protester on May Day.

A number of MPs of the National Front called for questioning the prime minister and the interior minister. The National Front accused the French presidency of seeking to establish an illegal parallel police.

A week ago, the online portal of Le Monde newspaper released a video of Alexandre Benalla, Macron’s bodyguard, beating a demonstrator on May 1.

Benalla and four policemen were arrested for facilitating his access to the demonstration scene and committing illegal actions.

On Sunday, the French prosecution released the five suspects. The case is deemed to be a tough test facing Macron regarding transparency, respect of the law and constitution, especially from the president and his aides at the Élysée Palace.

In another development BFM TV channel, owned by French billionaire Patrick Drahi, said Macron had commissioned 26-year-old Benalla to establish a special security apparatus for the presidency.

The channel revealed that Macron allocated the press hall at the Élysée Palace for this planned apparatus. It added the arrest of Benalla undermined the plan. Three commissions were formed by the General Assembly, the Senate and the Interior Ministry to investigate the case.