Incident date
Location
Noisy-le-Grand (France)
Victim(s)
Aboubacar S. (22 y.o.)
Consequence(s)
Injury, Imprisonment
Force(s) involved
National Police
Methods employed
Beating
Partner(s)
Le Média
Francesco Sebregondi, Filippo Ortona, Tara Sasson Francesco Sebregondi Investigation, Coordination, Directing Filippo Ortona Investigation Tara Sasson Editing

On 17 September 2021, Moussa*, a young resident of Noisy-le-Grand, in the Paris suburbs, was violently arrested by police officers.

The scene was captured on a witness’s phone. In the video, which quickly spread across social media, Moussa can be seen pinned to the ground by two officers, then suddenly attacked by a third, who punches and kicks him in the head.

After the footage sparked outrage, the Paris police prefecture opened an inquiry. The officers involved, for their part, filed a complaint against Moussa for violence against persons vested with public authority and for threatening to commit a crime or offence.

Index and Le Média obtained the footage from the CCTV cameras overlooking the spot where Moussa was arrested, analysed it and are publishing it today as an exclusive. Not only does it contradict the police account, it also proves that Moussa suffered far worse violence than the video circulated on social media showed.

*The first name has been changed.