French boxer who battled riot police receives €114,000 in donations – but it stops there
- The former light heavyweight French title holder is still in police custody for attacking police during ‘yellow vest’ demonstrations
- Money raised from crowd funding will be used for legal fees, says Leetchi website
Former French boxing champion Christophe Dettinger, who was filmed clashing with riot police over the weekend, has received more than €114,000 (HK$1.02 million) in donations from people eager to help him and his family.
But the crowd funding page from the Leetchi website has been closed by officials outraged that the donations were tantamount to “legitimising anti-police violence”.
Dettinger turned himself in to authorities a day after videos of him raining down punches on police in Paris during the “yellow vests” anti-government demonstrations in the French capital became viral. The 37-year-old Dettinger was France’s light heavyweight champion in 2007 and 2008. He remains in police custody.
Dettinger appeared in a video posted from his Facebook page before he was taken into custody.
“I am a French citizen, I love my country, I love my homeland,” he said in the video.