- The Washington Times - Tuesday, June 8, 2021

French President Emmanuel Macron was slapped in the face Tuesday while visiting a small town in southeast France.

Videos circulating online clearly show the incident.

Mr. Macron, 43, approached people waiting behind a barricade in Tain-l’Hermitage after he visited a high school as part of a tour to check France’s “pulse” ahead of an expected reelection bid next year.

The president warmly grabs one man’s left arm in greeting, only for him to slap the French leader across his masked face with his free right hand.

The incident prompted a flurry of action from Mr. Macron’s security detail and whoops of surprise from bystanders, who whipped out their phones to catch the fallout.

French news outlets reported the man was detained.

• Tom Howell Jr. can be reached at thowell@washingtontimes.com.

Copyright © 2024 The Washington Times, LLC. Click here for reprint permission.

Please read our comment policy before commenting.

Click to Read More and View Comments

Click to Hide