Retailleau gets his knuckles slapped publicly after “premature” announcement

The Paris prosecutor’s office reminded the Minister of the Interior of certain rules after the latter hastily announced the arrest of an Algerian influencer this Wednesday, January 22.

Did Bruno Retailleau confuse speed and precipitation? The Minister of the Interior announced the arrest of a new Algerian influencer – six others have already been the subject of procedures or reports since the start of the year – who “called for violent acts to be committed on the territory French on TikTok”, this Wednesday January 22. But only a few hours later, the minister was contradicted by the Paris prosecutor’s office. The public prosecutor regretted a “completely premature” announcement by Bruno Retailleau and indicated that for the moment “nothing has been held” against the said Algerian influencer, Rafik Meziane.

Not only to correct the remarks of the Minister of the Interior, the Paris prosecutor’s office “recalled” the rules to follow concerning the treatment and communication on a current case. Statements that seem like reframing with regard to Bruno Retailleau. “Only the judicial authority is legitimate to communicate on a current legal case,” underlined the public prosecutor, implying that the Minister of the Interior does not meet this criterion.

After questioning the statements of the “first cop in France”, the Paris prosecutor’s office clarified the measures taken concerning the influencer Rafik Meziane. “The national center for the fight against online hatred (PNLH) is investigating a report made on the PHAROS platform and relating in particular to a republication of a video without comment. A search was therefore carried out in order to seize the computer equipment and verify whether or not material elements would qualify as an offense.” This search would have taken place in the 13th arrondissement of Paris according to an AFP source who speaks of an “arrest”.

Concerning the person targeted by the report, “she is not in police custody at this time” and “must also undergo treatment”, specified the prosecution. Shortly after Bruno Retailleau’s announcement on

Retailleau pressed by tensions with Algeria

Bruno Retailleau reaffirmed his desire to “let nothing go unnoticed” at the end of his message on X, this Wednesday, January 22. He had already promised firmness in the face of calls for violence issued or relayed by influencers of Algerian origin in a context of strong tensions between France and Algeria. If the two countries have always had checkered relations, tensions have reignited in recent weeks around several issues. First on the status of Western Sahara, a region located in the south of Morocco and disputed, after France reaffirmed Moroccan sovereignty over this territory, then on the incarceration of the Franco-Algerian writer Boualem Sansal, critic of power and the Algerian government, which occurred in mid-November.

At the start of the year, the arrest of the Algerian influencer “Doualemn” for “incitement to commit a crime” after the publication of contentious videos on Tik Tok further deteriorated Franco-Algerian relations: expelled and put on a plane to Algeria, the 59-year-old influencer was returned to France the same evening and has since been incarcerated. Bruno Retailleau then accused Algeria of seeking to “humiliate France” and the Algerian government responded by denouncing an “escalation” in tensions and a “disinformation campaign”.

The Minister of the Interior considered it necessary to “dispassionate” and “normalize our diplomatic relationship with Algeria” in an interview given to theExpress on January 21. But at the same time, Bruno Retailleau seizes a new arrest of an Algerian influencer when it has not yet taken place or been made official. A maneuver which should not ease tensions.