Man who slapped Emmanuel Macron jailed for four months

10 June 2021, 17:59

Emmanuel Macron was slapped whilst on an official visit to the south-east of France
Emmanuel Macron was slapped whilst on an official visit to the south-east of France. Picture: PA

By Daisy Stephens

A man who slapped French President Emmanuel Macron in the face has been jailed for four months.

Damien Tarel, 28, was also given an additional 14-month suspended sentence, banned from ever holding public office and banned from owning weapons for five years, after he hit Mr Macron during an official visit to the south-east of France on Tuesday.

Tarel was quickly arrested after the attack and the court in the city of Valence convicted him on a charge of violence against a person invested with public authority.

Read more: Boris Johnson and President Biden meet ahead of G7 summit

Read more: London Bridge terrorist Usman Khan was lawfully killed by police, inquest finds

Reporters wait outside the courtroom as 28-year-old Damien Tarel was tried
Reporters waited outside the courtroom as 28-year-old Damien Tarel was tried. Picture: PA

Tarel, who describes himself as a right-wing or extreme-right "patriot" and member of the yellow vest economic protest movement that shook Mr Macron's presidency in 2018 and 2019, testified that the attack was impulsive and unplanned, and prompted by anger at France's "decline".

"When I saw his friendly, lying look, I felt disgust, and I had a violent reaction," he told the court. "It was an impulsive reaction... I was surprised myself by the violence."

Poised and calm, he firmly defended his “rather violent” action and his views on Mr Macron, without providing details of what policies he wants France to change.

He sat straight and showed no emotion as he was sentenced but his girlfriend broke down in tears.

While he said he and his friends had considered bringing an egg or a cream pie to throw at the president, he said they dropped the idea and insisted that the slap was not pre-meditated.

"I think that Emmanuel Macron represents the decline of our country," he said, without explaining what he meant.

He told investigators that he held right or ultra-right political convictions without being a member of a party or group, according to the prosecutor's office.

Read more: Oxford students could get compensation over Cecil Rhodes lecturer strikes

Read more: Queen to meet Joe Biden at Windsor Castle for tea and Guard of Honour

The slap called attention to an assortment of ultra-right groups bubbling beneath France's political landscape, which are considered increasingly dangerous despite their small following.

Mr Macron would not comment on Thursday on the trial, but insisted that "nothing justifies violence in a democratic society, ever".

"It's not such a big deal to get a slap when you go toward a crowd to say hello to some people who were waiting for a long time," he said in an interview with broadcaster BFM-TV.

"We must not make that stupid and violent act more important than it is."

At the same time, the president added "we must not make it banal, because anyone with public authority is entitled to respect".

More Latest News

See more More Latest News

Exclusive
Anneliese Dodds said Labour would make sure local people have 'skin in the game' with tackling inequality

'Rebuild has to start from ground up,' Labour's Anneliese Dodds says, and 'local people must have skin in the game'

Mohamed Mansour has been awarded a knighthood

Conservatives accused of 'cronyism' after donor who gave £5 million awarded knighthood in surprise honours list

Exclusive
Justin Welby recalled his experience of coping with his father's drinking as a teenager.

‘It was utterly isolating’: Archbishop of Canterbury recalls harrowing experience of growing up with his alcoholic father

More than 2 million drivers are set to hit the road on Good Friday.

Easter Carmageddon: Over two million drivers to hit the road on Good Friday after Storm Nelson travel chaos

Michael Gove has slammed the water firm as a 'disgrace'.

Thames Water bosses branded a ‘disgrace’ as Michael Gove tells firm ‘not to punish consumers’ for its failings

South Africa Bus Crash

Girl, 8, the sole survivor as 45 die in bus crash off South Africa bridge

A spokesman has denied reports the sausage dog could be banned.

The wurst news is over: Germany denies claims of sausage dog ban

Israel Palestinians Britain Aid

UN top court orders Israel to open more land crossings into Gaza

Greece Confidence Vote

Greece’s government survives no-confidence motion called over rail disaster

A council has had to apologise following the incident.

Fury as parents offered version of school class photo without complex needs pupils

Conjoined twin who shot to fame with sister on The Oprah Winfrey Show marries army veteran in private ceremony

Conjoined twin who shot to fame with sister on The Oprah Winfrey Show marries army veteran in private ceremony

Israel Palestinians UN Security Council

Russia ‘abolishes’ monitoring of sanctions on North Korea with UN veto

Firefighters at the scene of a bus crash in Limpopo

Bus falls from bridge in South Africa and erupts into flames, killing at least 45 and leaving child, 8, as lone survivor

Music-Green Day UN

Green Day to headline UN-backed global climate concert

Exclusive
Starmer has vowed to resurrect Boris Johnson's 'Levelling Up' policy

Failure to ‘level up’ Britain would be ‘catastrophic’, Wes Streeting admits, as Starmer vows to resurrect Johnson policy

Border Force staff will walk out from April 11

Hundreds of Border Force officers at Heathrow Airport to stage four-day strike