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A French police officer suffered a gruesome injury when a suspect bit off part of his finger during an arrest this week, according to reports.
The disturbing incident unfolded on Sunday afternoon in La Rochelle, a port town on the southwestern coast.
Officers stopped a man dangerously riding a bicycle while wearing headphones in a busy pedestrian area near the Gabut bridge, France Bleu reports.
When the cyclist learned he was going to be fined, he became violent and a physical confrontation ensued.
Footage shot by a witness has been circulating on social media.
During the struggle, the suspect bit a officer’s thumb, severing part of the digit.
He also body-slammed another cop before eventually being subdued and arrested.
“The recalcitrant individual rebels against our colleagues, rips off a policeman’s thumb and wounds the other two,” police union spokesman Matthieu Valet explained in a statement.
“Our colleague is at risk of permanent disability, and is undergoing surgery this afternoon.”
An investigation is ongoing.
It seems inconceivable to me that a nation of 300 million cannot replace 545 people who stand convicted – by present facts – of incompetence and irresponsibility.