French music producer awaits trial six years after police beating

Six years after being violently beaten by three police officers, Michel Zecler is awaiting the opening of their trial on 9 November in Paris. The music producer says he remains deeply scarred and angry over police violence.

On 21 November 2020, during France’s lockdown, he was stopped outside his studio for not wearing a mask and on suspicion of cannabis use. Pushed inside his premises, he was struck around 30 times in four minutes.

The CCTV footage, revealed by the website Loopsider, caused shock across France. It contradicted the officers’ account, in which they accused him of insulting and resisting them.

The three men will stand trial for falsifying a public document and intentional violence committed by a group. They face up to 15 years in prison.

Michel Zecler hopes his attackers will be judged according to the seriousness of their actions. He continues to suffer physical and psychological after-effects and says he still cannot understand the violence inflicted on him.

The justice system did not recognise a racist dimension to the incident, citing insufficient evidence. But Michel Zecler says he was subjected to racist abuse and insists he will repeat the words in court.

He also says he understands what his case represents for victims of police violence. Without the cameras, he believes, the police reports could have sent him to prison.