A French police officer is under investigation after video footage emerged showing him throwing a 29-year-old man to the ground during a music festival in Carcassonne, France. The man died 13 days later, on July 9, following the incident on June 21.
Initially, prosecutors stated that based on the current investigation, there was no causal link between the officer's actions and the man's death. An autopsy reportedly ruled out suspicious injuries and indicated a toxic cause for the death.
However, an investigation into the intentional use of violence by a person exercising public authority was subsequently launched after the video sparked public outrage. The clip, widely shared on social media, depicts five officers surrounding a man before one grabs him by the collar and throws him down. The man is then seen curled up, clutching his head, as bystanders attempt to intervene.
Local media identified the victim as Youssef E., a homeless man with a reported history of substance use. His brother, Hamza, disputed this, telling BFMTV that his brother was not homeless and did not have a history of drug addiction, though he acknowledged that Youssef E. had consumed cannabis and alcohol with friends at the festival.
Authorities reported that officers were called to the scene around 7 p.m. on June 21 to address a group with speakers consuming alcohol and drugs during the Fête de la Musique festival. The officer involved in the video reportedly works the night shift at the Carcassonne police station.
An investigation by the General Inspectorate of Police is ongoing. This year's Fête de la Musique celebrations were marked by widespread incidents across France, including 240 arrests nationwide, stabbings, alleged sexual assaults, and muggings. In Paris alone, 148 arrests were made amid disturbances that involved smashed car windows and attempted shop break-ins. Alcohol was officially banned at the event, but many attendees reportedly brought their own drinks, and cannabis was observed being smoked openly.
