French Interior Minister throws the ball to Macron's court

PARIS (Special to THE REFERENCE) - French Interior Minister Gerard Collomb dismissed on Monday any personal responsibility for the so-called 'Benalla gate" affair, which involves President Emmanuel Macron’s bodyguard, Alexandre Benalla.

The minister told a parliamentary investigative committee, the first investigation since Macron took office, that some other officials might be involved in the case of Benalla, who is accused of beating protesters and illegally wearing a police helmet and identification tag.

He said an investigation underway by his ministry would reveal involvement of any officials within the security department, which provided him with a weapon and an identification tag, and even notified him of the incident's videos at the ministry.

The minister & Élysée Palace

The minister told the lawmakers that the presidency should have notified the prosecution as the defendant is not an interior ministry employee, putting the blame on the president's office.

Asked if he talked with the president about the incident, the minister gave contradictory answers. He said he only talked briefly with the president about the issue yesterday.

MP Marine Le Pen, National Front leader and former presidential candidate, asked if President Macron wanted to unify all presidential security agencies under Benalla, who suggested a number of extremist Islamists. The minister said he knew nothing about that.

As Paris police chief Michel Delpuech was being questioned, Macron ordered on Sunday a reshuffle of his presidential office on the back of the Benalla affair, a source said.

Macron said Benalla's acts were "unacceptable" and no-one would escape punishment. The prosecution pressed charges against Benalla and four others on Sunday night, accusing them of beating protesters on May Day.