A member of the French parliament from Marseille is back in court after eight hours in police custody over an alleged altercation with officers. The deputy, who is also a candidate for mayor in Marseille, is being prosecuted for alleged outrage against police officers tied to an incident in August. On 27 August, he was detained for eight hours in a “flagrante delicto” investigation opened for alleged outrage against a person holding public authority. His lawyer says the defence will ask the court to declare the custody unlawful and argues the case was based on an “opportunity” arrest procedure. The lawyer also contests how the case will be heard, saying the charge could mean it should be examined by a single judge, which he says is not planned for the upcoming correctional hearing in Marseille. The dispute began when three undercover officers went to the deputy’s building while searching for a man suspected of stealing a watch. The officers tried to enter the building where the deputy lives. He initially refused them entry, saying they had not identified themselves. He later encountered them on his landing, where the exchanges allegedly escalated. The deputy shared partial video recordings of the incident with the media. Police officers filed a complaint, while the deputy filed a separate complaint for insults and physical violence. The MP has prior convictions for violence against two education officials during a high school blockade in 2023, and he previously received a sanction of 15 days’ exclusion from the National Assembly after brandishing a Palestinian flag. At the latest court hearing, he appeared before the justice system on the outrage charge, with his defence seeking a ruling on the validity of the custody.