Three French Police Officers to Stand Trial Over 2020 Beating of Black Music Producer

Three French police officers are due to stand trial next week over the 2020 beating of Michel Zecler, a Black music producer whose assault sparked widespread outrage over allegations of police brutality and racial discrimination in France.

Zecler, now 47, was stopped outside his music studio in Paris on November 21, 2020. The officers accused him of failing to wear a face mask, which was mandatory at the time, and suspected him of using cannabis.

They reportedly pushed him into the entrance of his studio and assaulted him. Security camera footage captured the incident and later contradicted the officers’ initial account of what happened.

According to the investigation, Zecler was struck approximately 30 times with punches and truncheon blows over about five minutes. Medical records documented craniofacial injuries, wounds to his lip and scalp, and a complete rupture of his biceps tendon. The injury reportedly left him unable to work for 45 days.

The three officers face charges of intentional violence committed by a group and forgery over allegations that they attempted to conceal their actions in an official report. They risk up to 15 years in prison if convicted. The trial is expected to last two weeks.

Zecler has said the assault continues to affect him, describing recurring nightmares and lasting physical consequences. He also said he wanted the trial to establish accountability for the incident.

France’s ombudswoman reportedly found that racist insults were used during the assault, citing four witnesses. However, the alleged racism was not included in the indictment, and the officers have denied making racist remarks.

The officers’ lawyers declined to comment ahead of the trial. Their initial arrest report claimed Zecler had attacked them and attempted to seize a truncheon, but footage released by French media later challenged that account.

The incident intensified public debate over police conduct and racial profiling in France. President Emmanuel Macron called for police reform after the footage emerged, while rights groups argued that the case reflected wider concerns about how ethnic minorities are treated during police encounters.

The trial comes amid renewed attention to police use of force following protests over a recent incident involving a 14-year-old boy who reportedly lost most of his teeth after a police officer appeared to fire a grenade at close range.

Other cases have also drawn attention to the issue. A police officer is due to face trial over the fatal shooting of 17-year-old Nahel Merzouk in June 2023, an incident that triggered nationwide protests after video footage contradicted the initial police account.

In 2024, three officers received suspended prison sentences for their roles in the 2017 assault on Black man Theo Luhaka, who suffered irreversible injuries during a stop-and-search operation.

A report by France’s rights chief found that young men perceived as Arab, Black or North African were four times more likely to be stopped by police than other people surveyed. They were also 12 times more likely to face more intrusive checks, including being frisked.