Prosecutor Seeks 18-Month Suspended Sentence for Ex-Macron Aide in May Day Violence Case

The sentence would also include a 10-year ban on carrying weapons, and a 5-year ban on holding a public service job.

In the first instance, in September 2021, Benalla had been sentenced to three years in prison, including one year in prison under electronic surveillance. He had also received a five-year ban on holding a public office and a 10-year ban on carrying weapons. Prosecutor Damien Levadou estimated during this new hearing that the "civic act" pleaded by the defendant revealed a "sense of omnipotence" that led him to "believe he was above the law".

In parallel, a sentence has been requested against Vincent Crase, Benalla’s friend and gendarme reservist at the time of the events. The two men are suspected of having assaulted five people during the demonstrations, acting as "observers". For Crase, the prosecutor requested 12 months in prison with a suspended sentence and a 15-year ban on carrying weapons.