French lawmaker Sébastien Delogu of La France Insoumise will stand trial in Marseille on November 13 for contempt after spending eight hours in police custody.
Delogu, who represents the Bouches-du-Rhône department in the National Assembly, was released from Marseille central police station late Thursday evening following an investigation into an altercation with three police officers at his apartment building.
Police custody in Marseille
The lawmaker arrived at the police station early Thursday afternoon alongside his attorney, wearing a stern expression. Investigators held him in custody for eight hours before releasing him at approximately 11:00 pm through a side exit, after which he left the premises in a taxi.
Following his release, Delogu posted an image of a white heart on a black background to his Instagram account, accompanied by a message stating that everything was fine. He expressed gratitude toward the law enforcement officers involved in his detention, writing that they behaved impeccably, and indicated that he would speak publicly on the matter soon.
Building entrance confrontation
The criminal charges stem from an incident on Monday afternoon when three police officers entered Delogu's residential building in Marseille while searching for a suspect wanted in connection with a stolen watch. Delogu encountered the officers as he returned home and refused to grant them entry, stating that they had failed to declare their identity.
The interaction escalated moments later when Delogu encountered the officers again on his apartment landing. The three officers subsequently filed complaints against the parliamentarian for contempt, alleging he insulted them during the encounter.
According to police filings, Delogu called the officers an exhausted bunch and used vulgar epithets against them, with one officer reporting that the lawmaker told him his breath stank. Delogu denied wrongdoing and submitted a formal complaint against persons unknown, alleging he was subjected to insults and physical violence during the dispute.
Previous convictions and legal cases
The November court date adds to a series of legal proceedings involving the Marseille politician. Delogu was convicted in 2025 of aggravated violence against two senior education officials during a 2023 high school blockade in Marseille.
He is also scheduled to appear before the Marseille judicial court on October 21 over allegations that he shared private documents belonging to a local entrepreneur on social media. Delogu accused the businessman of having ties to Israel, and the case regarding stolen private documents carries potential consequences for his eligibility to hold public office.
In another legal development, a medical doctor practicing in the northern neighborhoods of Marseille announced that he is taking legal action against the Insoumis lawmaker for defamation.
Delogu has also reported being the target of criminal threats in the city. The lawmaker previously announced he was filing a police complaint after being physically assaulted in Marseille by an individual who threatened that all Arabs would be exterminated.
