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Filmmaker Andrea Bescond says she was held for 12 hours after taking part in a peaceful rally for Lyhanna, the 11-year-old girl found dead in the Gers. She tells journalists she was stunned by the way police removed her from the demonstration and calls the episode an “arbitrary detention”. The suspected perpetrator, Jérôme Barella, is already known to the courts, and public anger has pushed thousands into the streets.
What happened at the Place Vendôme demonstration
The gathering in central Paris was one of several protests across France demanding tougher action on child sexual abuse. Witnesses say the crowd was dispersing when police pushed forward. Bescond says she resisted a police shield and was then pulled aside.
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- She reports being grabbed by several officers.
- She was led toward the Ministry of Justice building.
- Bescond says she did not understand why she was taken into custody.
She describes surprise and confusion as officers moved her away from the demonstration.
Allegations of being denied legal contact and information
Bescond recounts that she was not formally told her rights at the time of arrest. She says officers refused her repeated requests to call her lawyer.
- Requests to phone her attorney were denied.
- She says she was initially blocked from contacting her children.
- Plastic ties were used to restrain her tightly.
Her claim: authorities refused to call the number she provided for her lawyer and would not allow her to use her own phone.
Custody conditions and the humiliations she reports
Inside the detention facility, Bescond says conditions were distressing. She was placed in an initial cell and asked to use the toilet, but was not allowed privacy. Later she was moved into a cell with four other women.
She recounts being offered only three small food trays for five people and being awakened early in the morning amid loud disturbances. The women she shared the cell with were, she says, aged between 18 and 22.
- Limited privacy for basic needs.
- Scarce and shared food.
- Loud early-morning disturbance that aggravated psychological stress.
Bescond says these episodes left her feeling deeply humiliated.
Public outrage and the push for legislative change
Lyhanna’s death has reignited demands for stronger legal tools to fight pedocriminality. Protesters accuse the justice system of being too lenient toward repeat offenders. The case has sharpened calls for an integral law to better protect children and punish perpetrators.
Key demands from demonstrators
- Stricter sentences for sexual crimes against minors.
- Better monitoring of known offenders.
- Improved support for victims and their families.
- Faster parliamentary action on comprehensive legislation.
How authorities responded and next steps
Police actions at the protest are under scrutiny, and Bescond’s allegations add pressure on officials to explain their procedures. Legal representatives and rights groups may now request investigations into the detention and the conditions described.
Meanwhile, public demonstrations continue to demand change and accountability in the wake of Lyhanna’s killing.
