Daily Reports
Controversy Surrounds Marseille Municipal Police
The Marseille town hall has announced the suspension of eight agents from the municipal police and its urban supervision center (CSU) after revelations of possible violence and misconduct. The controversy erupted following the broadcast of images by BFMTV, showing municipal police officers hitting a man who appeared drunk before a surveillance camera was deliberately turned away from the scene. An administrative investigation was launched in May to establish the facts and characterize the faults, leading to the identification of seven agents, all of whom are now suspended pending a disciplinary council.
The case gained further complexity when CSU operator Sébastien Florenti, who is on arrest and claims to be a victim of harassment, admitted to disseminating the initial images and provided additional recordings. These recordings suggest that the camera maneuver during the February 2023 incident was intentional, and included inappropriate comments made by agents about people filmed by the surveillance cameras. Florenti also reported other breaches, such as a service weapon left unsecured and officers watching TV series during working hours.
In response, the City of Marseille has filed a complaint against the seven implicated agents and is referring the matter to the public prosecutor. Florenti himself has been suspended as a precautionary measure during the ongoing investigation. Meanwhile, his lawyer, Victor Gioia, has criticized the town hall for its abrupt decision, asserting that his client is acting as a whistleblower.
Further revelations by regional daily La Provence, including recordings where CSU agents made inappropriate comments and zoomed in on women's posteriors, have added to the controversy. Right-wing opposition elected officials have called for the resignation of security deputy Yannick Ohanessian, alleging poor management of the urban supervision center since the left-wing mayor Benoît Payan took office. Despite the allegations, the head of the municipal police, Céline Lefléfian, expressed her frustration over learning about these matters through the press and assured that all new facts are being forwarded to the internal investigation team and the public prosecutor.
An internal administrative investigation has been ongoing since last summer, with the town hall awaiting its conclusions to take appropriate sanctions. Both sides remain at odds over the motivation behind Florenti’s actions, with his legal representative framing him as a whistleblower while the municipal police leadership views him as vindictive.
- Me Victor Gioia, lawyer for Sébastien Florenti, argues that his client is being unfairly penalized for revealing misconduct within the CSU. He emphasizes that Florenti's actions were guided by a duty to report improper practices and not by personal vendetta.
- Céline Lefléfian, head of the municipal police, has been vocal about her displeasure over the emerging facts, insisting that any proven misconduct will be condemned. She has urged swift action on the administrative investigation to bring clarity and justice.
- The right-wing opposition has consistently criticized the current management, describing the urban supervision center as ineffective since the Nupes coalition took over. They argue that a thorough reevaluation of the center's operation is necessary to restore public trust.
