The former Paris candidate for mayor has filed a criminal complaint after a video scandal. The prosecutor’s office opened an investigation, as the authority announced yesterday. Benjamin Griveaux, a confidante of President Emmanuel Macron, had previously withdrawn from the race for the Paris City Hall. He now filed a complaint about privacy violation.
A website had previously posted screenshots of suggestive chat messages allegedly from Griveaux. She also shows short videos that show how a man masturbates – but it is not clear who they are.
No denials, no confirmation
Griveaux said a website and social networks had „spread heinous attacks on my privacy.“ He no longer wanted his family to do that. In his statement, he had neither confirmed nor denied that the videos and news were from him.
Griveaux had stepped down as Macron’s government spokesman last year to become mayor of Paris. The 42-year-old had recently performed rather poorly in surveys.
Action artists in custody
The Russian action artist Pyotr Pavlensky claimed to have distributed the videos. He has now been taken into police custody and questioned in another matter – the background, according to the prosecutor, is an investigation into suspected assault.
The first round of local elections will take place on March 15th. The withdrawal of Griveaux had triggered a political quake in Paris. He received support from parties across the political spectrum. Government spokeswoman Sibeth Ndiaye spoke of a „campaign of wickedness“.
