The president of FLAG!, a French association representing LGBT+ police officers and justice ministry personnel, was severely injured in a homophobic attack in central Paris in the early hours of Saturday morning. Pierre Picavet, a police officer and prominent advocate against anti-LGBT discrimination, suffered multiple facial fractures after being assaulted near a bar in the historic Marais district.
The Paris prosecutor’s office confirmed that a suspect has been arrested and an investigation has been opened for “violence resulting in incapacity exceeding eight days, committed because of the victim’s sexual orientation.” The attack occurred shortly before 4 a.m. as Picavet was leaving a bar with friends.
Details of the Assault
According to the prosecutor’s office, the victim sustained serious injuries, including internal hemorrhaging and an open skull wound, primarily caused by a thrown bottle. Speaking to Le Parisien, Picavet described the extent of his injuries.
“I suffer from multiple facial fractures. Fractures at the level of the sinuses, and the eye socket has exploded. I was in very, very great pain. Today, I am leaving the hospital and tomorrow morning, I have to go to Pitié Salpêtrière for maxillofacial surgery. I have a risk of meningitis because there is a blood effusion going to the brain,” he stated.
Witness Account and Suspect Profile
In his official complaint, Picavet stated that the assailant repeatedly called him a homophobic slur and threatened his life. “He came at me, as if to scare me. I avoided him. He came back, and I said to him: ‘What do you want?’ He replied: ‘Dirty faggot, dirty faggot, I’m going to kill you.’ I didn’t understand,” Picavet recounted.
Despite identifying himself as a police officer and showing his professional card, the attack continued. “I experienced it quite badly in the sense that I fight every day in my associative work to combat this kind of act,” Picavet added.
The suspect, born in 2006, had no prior criminal record but was under the influence of alcohol at the time of the incident. However, the prosecutor’s office noted he is unfavorably known to the justice system for a previous assault on a taxi driver involving a bottle.
Political Condemnation
The attack has drawn swift condemnation from political leaders. Emmanuel Grégoire, the Socialist Party deputy mayor of Paris, denounced “this odious homophobic aggression” in the heart of the capital and expressed support for Picavet. Valérie Pécresse, the conservative president of the Île-de-France region, also condemned the “violent homophobic attack” on social media.
Stop Homophobie, an association monitoring homophobic acts, was among the first to publicize the incident, describing it as an “aggression of a homophobic nature.” The case highlights ongoing concerns about violence targeting the LGBT+ community in France, even in areas known as safe spaces like the Marais.
