One of President Emmanuel Macron's top security officers was at the centre of a potentially damaging scandal for the French leader yesterday after being filmed hitting a protester.

Le Monde newspaper published a video showing Alexandre Benalla striking and then stamping on a young man while wearing a police visor during a demonstration in central Paris on May 1.

Benalla, who is not a policeman and previously worked as a bodyguard, had been given permission to "observe police operations" in central Paris during a day off on the May 1 public holiday, Macron's office said.