Paris, October 17: Antoine, a street medic who was violently arrested during protests at Place de la République, was tear-gassed at close range, knocked to the ground and dragged by police. Disturbing footage of the incident spread rapidly online, with false claims that he had died.
But on Monday evening, Antoine broke his silence on Instagram: “I’m alive.”
He later confirmed that he had suffered a head injury and was eventually treated at a hospital. Paris authorities have confirmed that an investigation has been opened following his allegation of police violence.
What is the condition of the street medic who was violently arrested at Place de la République in Paris on Saturday, during demonstrations on October 17?
Numerous videos filmed from different angles have circulated on social media, alongside misleading information. Some posts claimed that the man had died. However, on Monday evening, he published an Instagram story confirming that he was alive. He also confirmed this to journalists at Libération.
So, what actually happened?
Tear-Gassed and Thrown to the Ground
Footage from Saturday shows the man, wearing a backpack and orange cargo trousers, initially standing in front of riot police before being tear-gassed and thrown to the ground.
He can be seen facing officers with his arms outstretched, standing still. It is unclear what happened in the minutes leading up to the incident. However, officers can be heard ordering him to move back, which he refuses to do.
Three officers then approach him. One repeatedly strikes him on the buttocks and lower back. The man remains standing, moves backwards, and then approaches the officers again in a provocative manner. He can be heard shouting, “Come on!” at one of them.
The incident occurred shortly before 4:30 p.m. on Saturday.
Less than two seconds later, a riot police officer sprays tear gas directly into the man’s face at close range. Immediately afterwards, another officer shoves him to the ground.
The man is grabbed and dragged along the pavement. Someone nearby can be heard shouting:
“Let him go! He has a medic card, damn it!”
A street medic is someone who provides first aid to injured protesters during demonstrations before professional emergency services arrive.
As the man struggles to free himself, he is eventually detained, while numerous police officers surround the scene.
Seconds later, he is seen lying motionless on the ground before officers lift him and carry him horizontally. When he is placed back on the ground, he appears to have serious facial injuries and is spitting saliva and blood. He appears to be unconscious.
The scene takes place near the northern end of Rue du Faubourg du Temple, on the north-eastern side of Place de la République.
Photographer and Nurse Provide Emergency Assistance
The next part of the story was recounted by a photographer who provided medical assistance to the man and filmed the incident.
“When we took care of him, he repeated that he had originally come to the demonstration to provide medical assistance, but we also felt that he wanted to confront the police,” the photographer told Le Parisien.
The witness explained that the young man gradually regained consciousness. He showed no obvious injuries suggesting fractures, so they decided to move him away from the clashes at Place de la République to a safer location.
They needed to reach a fire engine that could not get to the scene because the surrounding chaos had blocked its access.
According to the witness, an Italian reporter and a nurse were also attending to the injured man.
Firefighters eventually arrived on foot at the corner of Rue du Faubourg du Temple and Rue Yves Toudic. The group then crossed the entire street, passing the entrance to the Vérines barracks, where a gendarmerie unit was stationed to keep people at a distance.
The witness added that the protesters allowed them to pass without difficulty.
“I carried him to the fire engine and then returned to take photographs. When I left him, he was conscious, and he thanked us,” the photographer said.
He did not know which hospital the man was taken to.
When contacted about the street medic’s condition on Monday morning, the Paris prosecutor’s office said that checks were underway. Early that afternoon, it stated that it had no information indicating that such a death had occurred and urged people to exercise caution.
Instagram Message Puts an End to Death Rumours
Given the shocking nature of the footage, particularly the images of the man lying motionless on the ground, some social media users claimed that he had died.
However, no death had been reported at Place de la République at that time, and a police source confirmed that the medic was not dead.
On Monday evening, Libération managed to contact the medic after he posted an Instagram story.
“Hello everyone, I’m Antoine, the street medic who was beaten and dragged along the ground at République on the 17th,” he wrote.
Speaking to the publication by telephone, Antoine explained that he had not gone to the hospital immediately after the incident, despite undergoing an assessment for a concussion that had produced a positive result.
After returning to the Paris region that same evening, he went to hospital the following morning.
“I have nothing wrong with me apart from a head injury,” he said.
Investigation Opened Into Alleged Police Violence
On Tuesday around midday, the Paris Police Prefecture told AFP that Antoine had indeed received treatment from firefighters, but had not been taken into police custody for medical treatment.
The same source stated that, following his allegation that he had been subjected to violence, an investigation had been opened.
The incident has raised questions about the use of force during demonstrations and the treatment of people providing medical assistance to injured protesters.
