An elected official accused of having simulated an attack resigns

It takes a certain amount of acting talent to be elected. But a municipal councilor from Romainville, in Seine-Saint-Denis, seems to have taken his action a little too far and resigned following the incident, announces BFMTV. Activist of the Union of Jewish Students of France, Kévin Cohen took part in an action against a conference on Palestine at the beginning of October.

In the images relayed on social networks, the municipal councilor shouts “they hit me, they hit me”, without any violence being visible. We also hear “we won't hit you” on the video, while several men calmly carry him towards the exit. Accused of having staged this attack, Kévin Cohen caused an outcry on social networks.

An action “incompatible” with its “responsibilities”

For a month, the mayor of Romainville refused to react but announced this Monday that his advisor had resigned from his mandates. “As mayor, I made the considered choice not to react immediately to the urgency of social networks […] I preferred to take the time to analyze the facts, listen to different points of view and consult before making any decision,” explains François Dechy.

After having received his advisor twice to “hear his version of the facts”, the left-wing miscellaneous mayor therefore accepted his resignation. “Together, we agreed that the action he had taken was not compatible with his duties and responsibilities as a municipal elected official,” he assures, praising “the courage of his decision.”