French police raid disgraced Benalla's office

French police have searched the office of a former senior security aide embroiled in a scandal at the Elysée Palace on Wednesday.

Alexandre Benalla, 26, was fired last week and faces several charges after footage emerged showing him assault demonstrators at May Day protests.

The president's office said the former bodyguard was present for the search.

President Emmanuel Macron has spoken for the first time on the scandal - lashing out at press coverage of it.

He told guests at a closed-door reception on Tuesday evening: "We have a media that does not seek the truth... I see a media power that want to be a judicial power."

"What happened on 1 May is terrible, serious, and for me it was a disappointment and a betrayal," President Macron told lawmakers.

"The only person responsible for this affair is me," he said. "If they're looking for someone to hold responsible, he's right in front of you. They can come and get me."

Lawmakers have been demanding to know why the presidency did not act sooner as the interior minister admitted he knew of the video on 2 May.

Mr Macron again criticised members of the media on Wednesday, telling journalists from two outlets: "You've been saying a whole lot of nonsense over the past few days."

Mr Macron dismissed Mr Benalla from his position as assistant to the French president's chief of staff on Friday.

On Sunday, charges were brought against Mr Benalla, who is accused of assault with an accomplice, interfering in police work, impersonating a police officer and illegally receiving surveillance footage.

On Monday, the president's top bodyguard during last year's election campaign defended his actions, claiming that he was "lending a hand" to the riot officers at the scene after he was "invited to observe" their operations.

He believes his behaviour was being exploited for "media and political ends", his lawyers said.