In his first remarks after scandal, Benalla admits he has committed mistake, asserts desire to distort Macron’s image

• Benalla ‘obtained parliamentary entry permit for the attached gym’
• Benalla receives salary of 6,000 euros, says he protects president, his family in his personal movements

Paris – Special to The Reference

Alexandre Benalla, former bodyguard of French President Emmanuel Macron, admitted that he had already made a terrible mistake and that he was not supposed to go to these demonstrations.

Benalla took part in the May Day demonstrations and is accused of beating protestors although he was supposed to attend only as an observer.

“There is an urgent desire to damage the reputation of President Macron … This is certain, the president was very frustrated by this case and described what he did as treachery,” Benalla said. “I did not betray the president, but what I did was a great mistake,” he added.

60,000 euros per month:

“My mission is related to the personal life of French President Macron, like any Frenchman who goes with his family to the theater, cinema and restaurant, and I always work with his team to protect him,” Benalla said of his salary, which amounted to about 6,000 euros.

As for the “Badge H”, which allows him to enter the National Assembly and access the places of deputies under the dome of the French parliament without any problems or obstacles, Benalla admitted that he did not get this badge and permission away through the French president, but as a volunteer to some parliamentary services.

He only used the badge to go to the gym and gymnasium attached to the parliament, admitting that this is whimsical and wrong behavior.

Russia World Cup

Benalla denied any relationship with the players’ bags during his stay at the World Cup in Russia. He said that he was responsible for following up on matters and making sure that they were doing their best and that he attended many of their training and meetings before and after the matches.

The Le Monde newspaper revealed that it had conducted a private dialogue with Benalla at the home of former journalist Marc Francile, who has become a businessman and was the liaison between the newspaper and former Macron personal guard. During that interview, another journalist close to Macron and his family named Michelle Marchand revealed that many people were behind that storm that is trying to distort the image of the French president.

Director of Public Security lied:

Benalla accuser director of the public security department of the Paris police Allan Jiblan of lying while being interrogated by the French Parliament’s investigation committee. “Alan said he did not know of my participation in the May 1st demonstrations until May 2. That means a day after the demonstrations although we met several times before these demonstrations and we attended meetings with police officers to secure places around the presidential palace. ”

On his relationship with French Interior Minister Gérard Collomb, Benalla revealed that he usually meets Collomb once or twice a day during his presidential meetings. “We only meet face-to-face and may know one another’s’ faces, but he does not know anything about my work at the presidential palace,” he said.

The crisis was triggered by the leaking of videos that showed Benalla beating demonstrators on Labor Day. He also appeared to be wearing a police badge and wearing his helmets while being escorted by the security forces as an observer.

Legal proceedings against Benalla were only initiated in July and Benalla has been under investigation since last Sunday, where Benalla has been in charge of securing the president during his trips.

Authorities arrested Benalla, 26, and Vincent Kraz, an employee of the ruling party, who accompanied him on the day of the incident along with three policemen who are suspected of handing over Benalla’s photos in surveillance video cameras.

A few days ago, the French president came out of his silence and announced to parliamentarians of his party and ministers that he was responsible for the case of Benalla, who attacked demonstrators at the Labor Day celebration. Macron tried to absorb the anger of the people, politicians, journalists and jurists by saying, “The only one responsible is me and only me.”

The French president was quoted by Agence France-Presse as saying that he felt that Benalla’s behavior at the May demonstration was close to “betrayal” and his individual acts did not reflect the state at all. “I am the one who trusted Benalla and I am the one who confirmed the punishment.”