Ademo, one of the two brothers who make up the rap group PNL, has been arrested in Paris and held by police for questioning on suspicion of drug use, resisting arrest and disturbing the peace.
Saturday’s arrest of the rapper was filmed by several fans. The footage appears to show the musician being held on the ground by police officers and then handcuffed.
A small crowd gathered at the scene of the events, outside a café in the Alésia area of the French capital.
By-standers are reported to have pleaded with the police to leave the musician alone. PNL, which stands for Peace N’Lovés, are renowned for their refusal to speak to the media, never giving interviews.
Ademo was refused a visa to enter the United States in 2017, when he was due to perform at the Coachella Festival.
PNL’s video for the track Au DD has been watched more than 157 million times on YouTube. The group’s album “Dans la légende” has sold more than 500,000 copies.
Des policiers tentent d’interpeller #Ademo excité qui devait très certainement se sentir intouchable avec son statut d’ « artiste ».
Malgré la vague d’indignation les policiers sont calme et usage de la force strictement nécessaire pour procéder au menottage.#ViolencesPolicieres pic.twitter.com/FK9i8K9dyT— Matricule007 (@DeltaMike59) September 6, 2020
The facts took place around 5:50 p.m. at the corner of rue Alésia and avenue du Maine (14th century). The rapper, whose real name is Tarik Andrieu, is seen in the street by a patrol “preparing a homemade cigarette” while “a strong characteristic smell of cannabis” is felt, it is written in the trial -verbal that Le Parisien was able to consult.
While the police decide to carry out an identity check, Tarik Andrieu “throws away his homemade cigarette”. The tone would then be raised between the rapper and the police, who then proceeded to the arrest. Tarik Andrieu was in possession of a sachet “containing herbal cannabis”, it is stated on the report.
On videos posted on social networks, late Saturday afternoon, we see the musician from the city of Tarterêts, in Corbeil-Essonnes, being pinned to the ground and then handcuffed by several police officers in the Alésia district ( XIVth). We also hear him insult the police.
A control that would have gone wrong
“It seemed to be a routine check, we asked him for his identity papers, he was a little reluctant, and it got worse,” said a witness to the scene interviewed by Le Parisien. “It was a bit violent, he complained of pain in the wrist”, adds this witness.
“At the beginning, the police spoke to him about drugs, we did not understand anything, they shouted, they insulted each other,” says Anouk, who also attended the scene. “And afterwards, he started to defend himself, he insulted them a bit because there was one (editor’s note) who was not wearing a mask. They started to come to blows, ”she testifies.
