The former bodyguard to Emmanuel Macron who was sacked after footage emerged of him appearing to attack a protester has described how his boyhood dream of working at the Elysée Palace ended in a moment of impulsive madness.

Alexandre Benalla was charged with gang violence after footage emerged of the alleged attack during May Day demonstrations in Paris at which he was supposed to be an observer.



However, Benalla denies he hit the young man involved after dragging him to the ground. “It was vigorous, I give you that. I’m impulsive, but I am not violent,” he said.

In his third “exclusive” interview in a week, Benalla, 26, described growing up in a 15-sq metre apartment overlooking a prison on a poor housing estate at Evreux, in Normandy, with his mother, brother and sister.



His Moroccan mother arrived in France in 1980 to study chemistry and later qualified as a maths teacher. Shortly after Benalla was born she left his father because he was violent, Benalla said. “I didn’t know him. He tried to take me three times … I had to be hidden at my aunt’s home,” Benalla told the Journal du Dimanche (JDD).

When Benalla was 15 he wrote to Nicolas Sarkozy, then the interior minister, asking for work experience with the elite police unit Raid. The ministry replied to say he could join Raid, responsible for guarding politicians and celebrities, for three days.



One Wednesday afternoon the teenage Benella found himself at the Elysée Palace, the official residence of the French president. The JDD published a photograph of him in the palace courtyard, surrounded by limousines and beaming with pride. “I want to work here,” Benalla said he told himself.

The idea of becoming a high-level security officer was a dream inspired by the film The Bodyguard, starring Whitney Houston and Kevin Costner, which Benalla said he had seen “20 or so times”. Another favourite was In the Line of Fire, in which Clint Eastwood plays a US presidential security officer.



While working as a security guard for the Socialist party, Benalla studied for a master’s degree in law specialising in public security. He later graduated from the gendarmerie reserves, being described as “very disciplined” and having “impeccable behaviour”.



Of Macron, whom Benalla called “the boss”, he said: “I have cordial but respectful relations with him. There was never any familiarity. I was at his service. He trusted me without knowing a great deal about me. I hope – I think – he didn’t regret it.”

Benalla described how during Macron’s successful presidential campaign he helped the candidate escape angry taxi drivers in Marseille via the roof of a building.

On arriving at the Elysée, the new president appointed Benalla to his chief of staff’s office. From that day, until he was fired just over a week ago, he accompanied Macron everywhere.



After footage of the May Day incidents emerged, Benalla said Macron took him to one side, telling him: “You’ve committed a serious fault and I’m disappointed. I feel betrayed. You are punished, it’s normal. I’ve confidence in you, but you have to accept it.”



Benalla said he offered to resign but was told there was “no point”.



“I’m treating this as yet another challenge,” said Benalla. “I know I will emerge stronger. I can live with my conscience and I know what I have done and what I haven’t done. I know there are liars and those who tell the truth.”

