Alexandre Benalla speaks to the senatorial commission after being filmed assaulting a Yellow Jacket protester | Alain Jocard/AFP via Getty Images Police attempt media raid over recording of ex-Macron aide Online outlet posted audio recordings of former security aide, who was dismissed after assaulting a protester.

French police attempted Monday to raid investigative media outlet Mediapart's office as part of a preliminary investigation into the outlet's release of a recording of Emmanuel Macron's former top security aide, Alexandre Benalla.

Mediapart last week published excerpts of a conversation including Benalla, who was dismissed from his security position in July over the assault of a demonstrator in a street protest. Benalla has also been investigated for allegations that he improperly used a diplomatic passport.

In the recordings, the man identified as Benalla allegedly talks to a former employee of Macron's party who has been charged alongside Benalla for violent acts during the same July incident. During the conversation, he boasts having support from Macron and one of his aides at the height of the scandal.

The Benalla scandal rocked Macron's government last summer after video emerged of the assault, prompting multiple dismissals in the Elysée, a parliamentary investigation, and a vote of confidence in parliament, which the government survived. Though Macron accepted responsibility for the incident, he also harshly criticized the media for coverage of the affair.

Mediapart said on their website Monday that the Paris prosecutor's office tried to search their office with several police officers in connection with an investigation into a possible "invasion of privacy" of Benalla following their reports.

"Mediapart, indignant at this move, refused the search in the name of protecting sources," the website wrote.

"We have not committed any offense and we only released information of public interest," said the outlet's co-founder Edwy Plenel.

Left-leaning politicians jumped in to condemn the reported raid, including Green politician and former 2012 presidential candidate Eva Joly as well as 2017 Socialist Party presidential candidate Benoît Hamon.

"The secrecy of sources is a sanctuary that every sincere democrat should protect because it allows journalists to reveal indispensable information for the demonstration of truth," Hamon tweeted.