French President Macron slapped in face on public walkabout

Two people have been arrested in southeast France after French President Emmanuel Macron was slapped in the face by a man in the crowd in Tain-l’Hermitage, BFM TV and RMC radio reported.

A video clip circulating on Twitter shows a man in a green tshirt and glasses shout “Down with Macronia” in French before slapping Macron’s face.

Security for Macron quickly tackled the man to the ground, and moved the president away to safety.

French Prime Minister Jean Castex has called the incident an affront to democracy. Shortly after the incident, he told the National Assembly that while democracy meant debate and legitimate disagreement, “it must never in any case mean violence, verbal aggression and physical attack”.

The presidential administration said there had been an attempt to strike Macron, but did not comment further.

Jean-Luc Mélenchon, leader of the far-left La France Insoumise party, and member of the National Assembly, has tweeted his “solidarity with the President”.

Far-right leader, Marine Le Pen also tweeted her condemnation of the attack. “While democratic debate can be bitter, it can never tolerate physical violence. I strongly condemn the intolerable physical aggression which targeted the President of the Republic.”

Mr Macron is currently visiting the Drome region in southeastern France to speak with students, restauranteurs and small business owners about the return to normal life after the pandemic. The president had just come out of a professional high school that trains students to work in the hospitality industry when the incident took place.

The identity of the man who slapped the French president remains unknown, as do his motives. While slapping Mr Macron, he could also be heard shouting “Montjoie Saint Denis,” the battle cry of the French armies when the country was still a monarchy.