Just as "Penelopegate" has seriously affected the chances of Francois Fillon in the forthcoming presidential elections, could the reactions to a "brutal" arrest of a young man known in the media only as Theo have an effect?
Theo was arrested and allegedly raped with a police truncheon after a disturbance in a Paris "banlieu". He claims he was not directly involved, merely helping his friend. Be that as it may, he was forcibly arrested and required hospital treatment. Fairly predictably this has led to violent anti-police demonstrations and much damage to vehicles and property.
All the presidential candidates have condemned the riots, but there seems to be little consensus on what to do about these banlieues where populations of young unemployed seem to have been left to their own devices for decades. Many from immigrant families, often from former north African colonies, these groups are living in what commentator calls "reserves" or possibly ghettos with little or no contact outside the area.
Right wing parties are calling for 15000 extra police nationally, many to control these banlieues to crack down on "casseurs" - those who cause damage - and other criminal and anti-social behaviour.
Others point out that the police force has virtually no training in dealing with community issues, concentrating on use of force and arms. There is also a suggestion of "institutional racism" in the forces of order and it was this type of force used to arrest Theo in the first place which has sparked off the disturbances. With only weeks to the election candidates may exploit the case to attack each other rather than addressing the problem.
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