FRANCE President Emmanuel Macron was slapped by a protester while he was on a visit to Tain L’Hermitage, a town in the Southern part of the country.
In a viral video posted on social media, a man wearing a face mask was seen exchanging words with Macron while gripping his arm. He hit the president on his left cheek, while shouting, ‘A Bas La Macronie,’ which meant, ‘down with Macronia.’
It took a swift response from Macron’s security details to bring the situation under control.
Macron was said to be in the area to meet with restaurant owners, as part of an effort to ease the country’s COVID-19 restrictions this week.
“A man indeed tried to hit the president. We have no further comment at that stage,” a spokesman for the French presidency said in a message to reporters.
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“The discussions with the crowd and the handshaking went on. The trip goes on,” he said. Two people were arrested, Agence France-Presse reported, citing local authorities.
The police said they arrested two men in connection with the incident.
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