The 28-year-old man who slapped French President Emmanuel Macron has been taken to his first court hearing on Thursday, facing possible jail time and a fine if found guilty of assaulting a public official.
Damien Tarel, the medieval martial arts enthusiast, told the court he was a right-wing sympathizer who had acted because the president represented all that was rotten with France. He also said that several days ahead of Macron's visit to the southeastern Drome region, he had thought about throwing an egg or a cream tart at the president.
Tarel faced a charge of assault against a public official, an offense which carries a maximum sentence of three years in jail and a 45,000 euro fine.
He struck Macron on Tuesday after the president came over to greet a small crowd of onlookers during a visit to the Drome region in south-eastern France, where he met restaurateurs and students to talk about how life is returning to normal after the COVID-19 epidemic.
Macron later described the attack as an isolated incident and said violence and hate were a threat to democracy.
Damien Tarel, the medieval martial arts enthusiast, told the court he was a right-wing sympathizer who had acted because the president represented all that was rotten with France. He also said that several days ahead of Macron's visit to the southeastern Drome region, he had thought about throwing an egg or a cream tart at the president.
Tarel faced a charge of assault against a public official, an offense which carries a maximum sentence of three years in jail and a 45,000 euro fine.
He struck Macron on Tuesday after the president came over to greet a small crowd of onlookers during a visit to the Drome region in south-eastern France, where he met restaurateurs and students to talk about how life is returning to normal after the COVID-19 epidemic.
Macron later described the attack as an isolated incident and said violence and hate were a threat to democracy.
