Gérald Darmanin in Guadeloupe: the Minister of the Interior strongly grabbed by a man in his twenties

Gérald Darmanin n’a pas souhaité s’exprimer sur cet incident. MAXPPP – Alexis Sciard

Gérald Darmanin was grabbed sharply but not injured Thursday near Pointe-à-Pitre (Guadeloupe) in the premises of the Guadeloupe 1ère channel by a young man, immediately arrested and placed in police custody.

The events took place while the Minister of the Interior came to record an interview in the premises of this television, in Baie-Mahault, at the end of his trip to Guadeloupe during which he announced the establishment of a curfew from 8:00 p.m. for minors in Pointe-à-Pitre, a city described as "cut-throat" by its mayor.

Controlled by security men

A man "around twenty years old" according to the source close to the investigation, approached the minister asking to speak to him, two witnesses who wished to remain anonymous told AFP.

The minister then extended his hand to him and it was then that the man grabbed him quickly by the arm and shoulders before being overpowered by the men from the minister's security, described one of the two witnesses.

Hospitalized in psychiatric emergency room

The man was taken into custody at the Baie-Mahault gendarmerie, the source close to the case told AFP, adding that an investigation had been opened for "violence on a person holding public authority and rebellion.

"He wanted to escape and didn't let it happen" and was "uncooperative" during his custody. The usual tests could not be carried out and the young man was "hospitalized in the psychiatric emergency room" from Pointe-à-Pitre University Hospital, Friday evening, according to the same source.

The minister was not injured. He then recorded his interview as planned.

"We cannot accept the unacceptable"

"I discussed it with the minister who told me that it was not too serious and I’ hopes that it will end well for the young person", Ary Chalus, the president of the Guadeloupe region, told AFP.

Questioned about this episode, the socialist deputy Christian Baptiste for his part replied: "I don't know the conditions under which this happened; has passed, but we cannot accept the unacceptable, that a minister could be attacked, and we can wonder about the security service&quot ;.

Gérald Darmanin did not wish to speak on this incident.