Fury After Man Punches Mum With Newborn Baby In Face For Bad Parking

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Story By: Joseph GolderSub-EditorJoe Golder, Agency: Newsflash

A prominent social media influencer who was going home from hospital after giving birth prematurely claims she was punched in the face and knocked out by an elderly neighbour who was angry she parked in front of the building.

The woman, who parked in front of the building because it was cold and her baby was fragile, tried to file a complaint with her local Paris police station, but was unsuccessful.

The police reportedly told her partner “to try to amicably remedy the situation with the neighbour”, who the woman said was an “old, white, rich man who owns property”.

@ameliechalleat/Newsflash

She posted her story on social media along with photos of her bruised face and it quickly went viral prompting French ministers to become involved after netizens were outraged.

Many online commentators said the incident highlights how backward France is when it comes to dealing with violence against women.

In the lengthy post, the woman, named in local media as Amelie Challeat, a prominent social media influencer, claimed that her neighbour, who has not been named, was angry with her for parking in front of the building.

@ameliechalleat/Newsflash

She explained that it was cold outside and that her baby was fragile and that she needed to get him inside fast. He allegedly responded by punching her in the face.

Challeat said: “This man wanted to stop me from going into my home with my baby and hit me in the face. He sent his fist, with all his strength, into my face while I was holding my baby’s chair. I fell on the ground and I lost consciousness for a moment.”

She was apparently outraged that the police officers told her partner to “try to amicably remedy the situation with the neighbour”, asking: “Is the fight against violence against women still a national priority?”

@ameliechalleat/Newsflash

The French Minister Delegate in Charge of Citizenship, Marlene Schiappa, shared the young mother’s tweet and said that her team is in touch with her and with the local authorities.

The country’s Interior Minister, Gerald Darmanin, also shared her post and said that he was also in touch with her and that the police had been mobilised and were ready to investigate her complaint.

Some netizens said it showed just how backward the country was when it comes to dealing with violence against women.

@ameliechalleat/Newsflash

Netizen ‘Faubourgsebast1’ said: “When a woman goes to file a complaint about all kinds of assaults, the first thing she is told ‘are you sure you didn’t look for it?’ Something that no one would dare ask a man… A sorry state of affairs!”

Other netizens claimed that the woman stating that her alleged aggressor was an “old, white, rich man who owns property” caused her story to lose credibility.

Netizen ‘Deydpool’ said: “Unfortunately your story, as inadmissible as it is, loses a lot of credibility when you allow yourself to point out that the perpetrator was white, elderly and wealthy.”

@ameliechalleat/Newsflash

‘ODParis’ remarked: “The fact he is white and a property owner is an aggravating factor?”

However, ‘Tommyleegee’ said: “Unfortunately your attacker is white, nothing will happen to him… if he had been a Muslim, the police would have arrested him and taken him to court immediately.”

It is unclear if the suspect has been arrested.

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