French music producer awaits trial six years after police beating

Sixteen years on, the French music producer Michel Zocla remains deeply affected and angry ahead of their trial on November 9, saying police violence continues in France. On 21st 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. I don't understand the hatred I saw in their eyes and still see whenever I think about what happened It was an assault that should never have happened It's also important to understand that the fact they were wearing police uniform was one of the reasons I didn't defend myself They are supposed to uphold law and order and act proportionately Their conduct must be beyond reproach. The CCTV footage caused shock across France. It contradicted the officer's account in which they accused him of insulting and resisting them. The three men will stand trial for falsifying a public document and intentionally violence committed by a group. They face up to 15 years in prison. I expect this trial to hold the police officer's account. for what they did to me. I expect them to answer for their actions before the courts because six years is a very, very long time. I have felt every single day of it. Michel Zocla 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. I've seen a lot of things in recent years. In recent years, I've seen numerous cases where I didn't feel the police officers' lives were in danger. There was no clear reason to draw a weapon or go that far. The justice system did not recognize the racist dimension to the incident, citing insufficient evidence. But Michel Zocla says he was subjected to racist abuse and insists he will repeat the words in court.