Mbappe, Griezmann condemn brutal police beating of black man in Paris

FRENCH World Cup stars Kylian Mbappe, Antoine Griezmann and Samuel Umtiti have joined many of their countrymen in condemning the police over acts of brutality against a black man.

A video of police officers beating the black music producer in Paris sparked outrage and condemnation on Thursday, leading to the suspension of several officers and a public backlash, according to AFP.

There are already investigations into police brutality in France and growing concerns over new laws proposed by the government that would restrict the right of citizens to film and publish images of police on duty.

Online news site Loopsider published security camera images on Thursday showing three officers punching, kicking and using their truncheons on the producer, identified as Michel, as he entered his studio in the French capital late on Saturday.

The beating lasted around five minutes, during which Michel said he was repeatedly subjected to racist abuse, before he was dragged out of the building.

“People who should have been protecting me attacked me. I did nothing to deserve this. I just want these three people to be punished because we have a good justice system in France,” Michel said to journalists on Thursday.

“I was lucky to have videos which protect me, unlike a lot of others, otherwise I would not be here with you today,” he added.Mbappe, who plays for Paris Saint-Germain in the city where the incident happened, condemned the policemen’s act on social media.

“Unbearable video, unacceptable violence,” Mbappe wrote on Twitter next to a picture of the injured producer.

“Say no to racism.”Griezmann, who plays for Barcelona, wrote.

 “My France hurts!” while quote tweeting the Loopsider video which shows the police battering Michel.”Human beings … are capable of doing inhumane things!” defender Umtiti also wrote in a quote tweet of the video.
Source: AFP.