# Question of racism central at trial of French policemen accused of beating Black man

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/question-of-racism-central-at-trial-of-french-policemen-accused-of-beating-black-man/
- Published: 2026-11-10T09:20:09+00:00
- Updated: 2026-11-10T23:49:58+00:00
- Original publisher: Le Monde (publisher lean: Left)
- Original article: https://www.lemonde.fr/en/france/article/2026/11/10/question-of-racism-central-at-trial-of-french-policemen-accused-of-beating-black-man_6776827_7.html
- Topics: Entertainment, Europe, Music, World

## Key points

- Three former officers face trial over Michel Zecler’s 2020 beating.
- The court is examining whether racism motivated the assault.
- Video contradicted the officers’ report but did not show their motive.

## Summary

Three former French police officers went on trial in Paris over the 2020 beating of Black music producer Michel Zecler inside his recording studio. The trial has put the question of racist motive at its centre, although the officers’ indictment does not include that aggravating factor.

Zecler was initially approached over not wearing a face mask during the Covid pandemic. Surveillance footage contradicted a police report claiming he had hit officers and showed the beating, but did not establish why it happened; Zecler says he heard racist slurs. Prosecutors sought a racist-motive charge against two officers, but investigating judges found insufficient evidence, while messages and images on one officer’s phone, including material mocking George Floyd’s death, were discussed in court.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.