Nov. 30 (UPI) -- Four French police officers connected with the brutal beating of a Black music producer for not wearing a face mask have been charged in connection with the incident.
The police officers attacked Michel Zecler, 41, in Paris on Nov. 21 after seeing that he was not wearing a face mask as he entered his music studio. Police brutally beat Zecler for five minutes, which was call caught on security cameras.
The video contradicted police reports, which initially charged with Zecler with resisting arrest. The case was dropped after the video was released. The case brought a wave of protests around France, including those opposing a bill that would restrict the filming of police.
Three of the officers were accused of deliberate violence by a person in public authority and with falsifying statements. Another officer who shot a teargas canister into Zecler's music studio had been accused of deliberate violence, The Guardian reported.
Two officers are being held Sunday while the other two were given conditional release.
The police stopped beating Zecler when other people in the building intervened, but authorities later tossed tear gas into the studio. Police then arrested Zecler when he was forced to leave the gassing.
Video of the incident was posted on the French online news outlet Loopsider, which has been viewed more than 8 million times.
