French President Emmanuel Macron’s former bodyguard has received 3-year sentence for assaulting anti-capitalist protesters in 2018.
The incident has caused a deep embarrassment for the French president in 2018.
French Presidency immediately fired Alexandre Benalla after a video emerged in 2018 showing him being rough with May Day demonstrators.
Benalla started working as a bodyguard for Macron in 2016 and then a senior security role after Macron’s May 2017 victory, becoming a trusted confidant and Macron’s right-hand man.
Benalla was also convicted of faking documents and illegally carrying a firearm.
However, he will not serve the prison term after the court suspended two of the three years.
The court further ordered Macron’s bodyguard to wear an electronic bracelet for one year.
Last summer, angry protesters took to the streets across France in rejection of the new coronavirus health pass measure.
French authorities had earlier declared intention to relieve Covid-19 restrictions by August 9, 2021, in France.
Health pass measures will mainly target those vaccinated or who have tested negative for Covid-19.
Targeted segment will have access to public venues, including long-distance transport, restaurants and cafés – even France’s famed outdoor terraces.
The protests which continued for the fourth weekend in a row, came just two days before the new rules come into force.
