The French president's alleged confidant and bodyguard Alexandre Benalla has been forced to delay his wedding after being called to testify in court. The wedding was planned to take place on Saturday, July 21, in the town hall of the Paris suburb Issy-les-Moulineaux, followed by a reception at a restaurant.
On July 19, Paris prosecutors launched a preliminary investigation against Benalla over an alleged attack on an anti-government protester. The high-profile case arose after a video emerged showing a man, supposedly Benalla, in a riot police helmet and an armband, but without uniform, tackling a young rioter to the ground and punching him repeatedly before fleeing the scene.
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A number of French opposition politicians have expressed outrage over the incident. Laurent Wauquiez, head of the Republicans, denounced the video as "shocking." Jean-Luc Melenchon, leader of the left-wing party Unsubmissive France (La France Insoumise), on Thursday called for a no-confidence motion against the government unless it provides an explanation for the incident involving Benalla.
French Interior Minister Gerard Collomb also came under fire and was questioned by lawmakers amid allegations that three police officers had handed him the surveillance videos showing the incident in a bid to protect Macron's bodyguard and cover up the case.
