French police oversight body the IGPN has been referred to after a police officer in Metz was accused of sexually assaulting a teenage girl during her arrest, RMC reported. The girl is 14 years old, according to Yahoo Actualités. The incident is said to have occurred while officers were carrying out an arrest during a high school protest movement.
An investigation into the suspected sexual assault by a police officer has been opened in Metz, franceinfo reported. The officer has not been named, and no outcome of the inquiry has been reported.
The case has drawn political reaction. Ségolène Royal said she was outraged by the alleged assault on the teenager, Yahoo Actualités reported, calling it shameful.
The arrest took place during a period of school blockades, with lycée protests underway in the Moselle region, according to moselle.tv. Le Figaro also reported that the IGPN had been brought in over the suspected assault during the girl's arrest.
Details of what allegedly happened remain limited, and no charges have been confirmed in the reporting available. The IGPN, the body that handles complaints against French police, is now examining the officer's conduct.
What to watch next: whether the IGPN investigation leads to any disciplinary or judicial action, and any further statements from Metz authorities.
