Death of Lyhanna: Les Chatouilles director Andréa Bescond taken into police custody in Paris

French filmmaker, writer, and actress Andréa Bescond was briefly placed in police custody on Monday, June 8, 2026, during a protest in Paris over failures in the justice system’s handling of sexual violence cases involving minors. The demonstration was organized in response to the killing of 11-year-old Lyhanna and took place despite a ban issued by the Paris police prefecture. Bescond had called for people to gather at Place Vendôme, near the Ministry of Justice, to denounce what she described as systemic dysfunction in how such cases are handled.

According to information confirmed by AFP from police sources, Bescond was held for “insult and rebellion” after participating in the unauthorized gathering. Her custody was lifted and the case was immediately dismissed by the Paris prosecutor’s office on Tuesday, June 9, 2026. The prosecutor said the proceedings did not appear proportionate, and noted that the decision to place someone in custody is made by a judicial police officer, who must notify the prosecutor immediately so that the legality of the measure can be reviewed.

Bescond said the arrest came as “a surprise,” describing the confrontation with police officers as unexpected and confusing because the gathering had remained nonviolent for two hours. She later posted on Instagram, mocking what she called sympathy for people accused of pedocrimes who have never spent a night in custody. She also said she spent the night in a cell with several young women detained for unrelated theft cases.

The Paris police prefecture had banned the protest at Place Vendôme and suggested another location, Place Lépine, in front of the Paris Court of Appeal. In the end, two separate gatherings took place in Paris: one at Place Vendôme and another at Place Lépine. Together, they drew about 2,900 people, according to police estimates.

The Paris protest was part of a larger wave of anger across France following Lyhanna’s killing. More than 60,000 people demonstrated nationwide on Monday evening, June 8, 2026, to express outrage over the case. The suspect in the killing is reportedly a man already targeted by multiple rape complaints.

Bescond, known for her film “Les Chatouilles ou la danse de la colère,” has long been an outspoken advocate on issues involving sexual violence and child protection. Her participation in the protest and brief detention drew attention to both the broader public anger over the case and the continuing debate over police response, protest restrictions, and judicial handling of sexual assault allegations involving minors.