An investigation was opened on Tuesday for harassment and sexual assault to examine the complaint filed by left-wing activist Sophie Tissier against the LFI president of the Assembly’s Finance Committee Éric Coquerel, the Paris prosecutor’s office said on Wednesday at the request of the AFP. Sophie Tissier, a 43-year-old former figure of “yellow vests”, denounces in her complaint filed in early July, facts “which may be similar to a sexual assault” dating from August 23, 2014 in Grenoble, which was allegedly committed by Éric Coquerel, which he disputes. The facts could be prescribed.
Are the facts prescribed?
The maximum period being six years to lodge a complaint in the event of an offence, the facts could be prescribed. The investigations were entrusted to the Brigade for the Suppression of Personal Crime (BRDP). The investigation concerns, for the moment, only the complaint of Ms. Tissier, according to two sources close to the file.
The activist had explained to AFP that she had been “despised” by the party La France insoumise (LFI) “for years” and reported the “terrible consequences” on her life and her career as an activist since the “actions” of M Coquerel, during a party in 2014.
More Facts Reported
The former “yellow vest” had denounced, on BFMTV, “inappropriate gestures, wandering hands” during an evening organized by the party in 2014, evoking “a salacious, sticky look”, “a clumsy flirt” and a “outrageous, offensive, harassing” behavior on the part of the MP.
According to Sophie Tissier, Éric Coquerel also sent him text messages offering to take him to his hotel. She also claimed to have made a report to LFI’s Sexual Violence Monitoring Committee (CVSS). The activist had made public her accusations against Éric Coquerel just after his accession on June 30 to the strategic post of chairman of the Finance Committee of the National Assembly.
Coquerel supported by LFI
His accusations were “opportunly relayed without restraint, investigation or verification of any kind” and “made it possible to get people talking about something else”, the senior LFI official reacted on BFMTV on July 3, attacking in particular a journalist of the chain. Éric Coquerel has received repeated support from Jean-Luc Mélenchon. He “is not guilty of anything at all” and “is the subject of a rumor and a political operation”, denounced the leader of the Insoumis.
The opening of this investigation comes as LFI is the subject of criticism over its internal management of accusations of sexual violence.