French PM condemns lawmaker’s assault against rival

PARIS – French Prime minister Edouard Philippe said physical assault must be “strongly condemned” after a lawmaker hit another politician with a motorcycle helmet in a violent fight.

Philippe called Sunday on M’jid El Guerrab, a member of French President Emmanuel Macron’s party, to “draw the consequences” of his actions.

El Guerrab was charged on Saturday night with “intentional violence with a weapon,” in that case the helmet, after a fight he had Wednesday with Socialist Party official Boris Faure.

Faure has been treated for a severe head injury and left hospital Saturday, his lawyer Patrick Klugman said.

El Guerrab acknowledged on his Facebook page 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.