- En Marche! MP M’jid El Guerrab is alleged to have attacked Socialist Boris Faure
- French media reporting that Faure is in intensive care after being hit by helmet
- But El Guerrab said he was merely defending himself after being racially abused
- Faure forced to undergo emergency surgery yesterday, according to his family
An MP in French president Emmanuel Macron’s En Marche! party has been detained in custody after allegedly putting a rival politician in intensive care by smacking him with a motorbike helmet.
Two police officials explained today that M’jid El Guerrab was being questioned over a fight he had on Wednesday with Socialist Party lawmaker Boris Faure.
It has been alleged in French media that El Guerrab was riding a motorbike in the centre of Paris when he saw Faure – with whom he is said to have fallen out last year – and went over to him.
They briefly spoke before the encounter became violent and they had to be separated by nearby guards.
Rivalry: Socialist Boris Faure (left) is alleged to have been sent to intensive care by En Marche! MP M’jid El Guerrab (right) after a violent altercation in Paris. French media are reporting that El Guerrab struck Faure with his motorbike helmet
But El Guerrab has defended his actions by claiming that Faure grabbed him by the arm and called him a ‘dirty Arab’ and an ‘impostor’.
He added: ‘I did not attack Mr Faure.’
Faure’s family have rejected the claim that he was racially insulting to El Guerrab and it is understood both men are threatening to file charges.
Earlier today, El Guerrab said on his Facebook page that he is taking a leave of absence from his party.
He acknowledged he had a verbal and physical altercation with Faure and said they were on bad terms since the electoral campaign for legislative elections in June.
Faure’s family said yesterday that he had undergone emergency surgery as his state deteriorated.
El Guerrab left the Socialists to join Emmanuel Macron’s new party last year, which is said to be the cause of their fall-out
El Guerrab left the Socialists to join Macron’s new party last year, which is said to be the cause of their fall-out.
Faure managed the campaign of the candidate that El Guerrab beat in recent parliamentary elections.
Meanwhile En Marche!, El Guerrab’s party, has condemned the ‘violence’ against Faure.