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Emmanuel Macron Slapped Across the Face
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It’s quite likely that any citizen from almost any nation has fantasized at least once about giving a resounding slap to the face of a public official. The experience would undoubtedly be gratifying, but it would likely not result in much beyond reddening their face and potentially landing you in jail. Regrettably, it appears that one French man’s thoughts did not progress to that realization.
President of France, Emmanuel Macron, made a visit today to the Tain-Hermitage school, a culinary academy, to commemorate France’s upcoming plans to resume indoor dining services following a prolonged lockdown due to the pandemic. While at the school, he approached a sizable crowd of spectators behind a barricade to engage in some handshakes. However, the first individual he approached seemed disinterested in shaking hands; instead, he acquainted Macron’s face with his palm, exclaiming “Down with Macron’s monarchy.” Macron’s security promptly intervened, escorting the President away, visibly shaken but otherwise unharmed.
During the incident, two individuals were apprehended; one was the assailant who delivered the slap, while the other was detained for reasons not disclosed but presumably related. French Prime Minister Jean Castex condemned the act of aggression as non-democratic, stating “I advocate for a reinvigoration of the republic.”
A citizen slapped Macron at a train station outside Valence city. Two individuals were arrested in relation to the incident. pic.twitter.com/QVrn9QIxpV
— Kasım İleri (@kasimileri_) June 8, 2021
Despite this unusual event, Macron remains enthusiastic about the reopening of the French dining sector. Indoor dining will be allowed once again starting tomorrow, with COVID curfews extended until 11:00 PM. All remaining COVID-related restrictions are set to be lifted by the end of June, subject to the pandemic severity and vaccination progress at that time.
“Tomorrow, a new phase will commence,” Macron announced in French on his Twitter account. “Life will resume in all our regions! We are about to rediscover our culture, our way of life.”
