08:42 PM
Monday, January 23, 2023
Paris – (dpa)
Paris investigators opened an investigation on Monday into a serious assault by a police officer on a demonstrator who was protesting against plans to raise the pension age.
A 26-year-old protester underwent surgery to remove one of his testicles after being hit between the legs with a riot stick while lying on the ground, footage broadcast by BFMTV showed.
A spokeswoman for the public prosecutor’s office said the investigation would be led by the police oversight body.
The victim’s lawyer described the blow as “sadistic”. The incident, which caused an outcry, was widely reported in France.
More than 1.1 million people demonstrated last Thursday against the government’s plans to gradually raise the retirement age from 62 to 64. The government says an aging population makes the current system unsustainable.
