The mounted patrolman showed up after the arrests had already occurred. He approached at a collected trot and swung the horse's hindquarters left and right to disperse the rabble.
It's not a "charge", it's a crowd-clearing maneuver, and it's very effective without placing anybody in danger from anything other than a bump from the horse's quarters. And the 'protesters' ought to feel right at home in close proximity to a horse's @$$ . . . .
The horse is a little more above the bit than I like to see, and not really on the aids, but he's never anywhere near out of control.
AFP = A French Pravda