French police are holding two men in their custody in connection with the Tuesday Incident where France President Emmanuel Macron was attacked during an official visit to Tain-l’Hermitage outside the city of Valence. In a video circulating on social media, Macron is seen greeting residents behind a barrier when a man in a green shirt slapped him on the face while shouting ‘Down with Macro-nism”.
The Presidential security team quickly whisked Macron away from the barrier. Macron termed the incident as isolated and went back to interact with residents insisting that nothing was going to stop him. While the incident may not have seemed like much to Macron, various French politicians have condemned the incident.
Prime Minister Jean Castex while addressing the National Assembly said that though democracy attracts debate and legitimate disagreement “it must never in any case mean violence, verbal aggression and even less physical attack”. On her part far right leader Marine Le Pen who was Macron’s opponent in the 2017 presidential election said that democratic debate can never tolerate “physical violence”
Macron is no stranger to attacks from angry citizens. In 2016, while serving as the Minister for economy, a group of protestors pelted him with eggs during a visit in Montreuil, east of Paris.
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