A French court convicted a police officer of “intentional violence” for brutalizing a 22-year-old Black man with an expandable baton during an arrest seven years ago. The victim, Théo Luhaka, sustained a four-inch tear to his rectum after the police subdued him during an identity check in a suburb northeast of Paris. Two other officers involved in the arrest were also found guilty, but the sentences were less than what prosecutors had requested. The verdict came at a time when the issue of race in France and the policing of Black and Arab men in the country’s impoverished suburbs remains particularly sensitive. The incident had sparked violent protests and was held up as a symbol of perceived racial discrimination by the police against men in minority communities. The victim, Mr. Luhaka, described how the incident had affected his life, leaving him incontinent and depressed. The case has reignited discussions about police brutality and racial discrimination in France.
Source: www.nytimes.com
Published: 2024-01-19 15:21:21