The man who slapped French President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday was sentenced today to 18 months in prison, 14 of which were suspended, AFP reported.
Prosecutors in the southeastern city of Valence had demanded an 18-month sentence for Damien T., who admitted to slapping Macron during his visit to the Drome department.
Violence against a high-ranking civil servant in France is punishable by up to 3 years in prison and a fine of 45,000 euros.
The slap was “completely unacceptable” and an “act of deliberate violence,” said state prosecutor Alex Peren in the presence of the 28-year-old man with long hair, a green T-shirt and glasses, who was tried in a fast-track procedure. There were also many journalists in the courtroom.
Prosecutor Peren requested that the attacker be remanded in custody due to the risk of recidivism, given the “cold determination” of the defendant, who is a member of martial arts, medieval and comic book manga companies.
So far Damien T. was not known to the judiciary.
Before the court, the perpetrator stated that he acted impulsively and not according to plan. He was motivated by his anger that France was “declining,” the Associated Press reported.
The Frenchman, identified by the media as Damien Tarrell, admitted to slapping the president “too hard”. Seeing his friendly and false expression, I felt disgusted and reacted violently, he told the court.
It was an impulsive reaction. I myself was surprised that such violence took place, the man assured.
Damien Tarrell said he discussed with friends to take eggs or a cake to throw at Macron, but they gave up.
“I think Emmanuel Macron embodies the decline of our country,” Tarrell said, without explaining what he meant.
The man told the court that he supported the “yellow vest” movement, which shook the French president’s administration in 2019, AFP notes.
He told investigators that he had right-wing and far-right political beliefs without being a member of a party or group, prosecutors said.
Today, Macron did not comment on the case against Tarel, but said that “nothing and never justifies violence in a democratic society.”
In front of French television BFM, the president said that it is not easy to be slapped when you approach a crowd to greet some of the people who have waited too long. We should not make this stupid and violent act more significant than it actually is, Macron said.
At the same time, the French president warned that what had happened should not be underestimated, because every civil servant should be respected.
Another man arrested during the riot after the slap – Arthur S. – will be tried next year for illegal possession of weapons. Books were found in his home, including Hitler’s My Struggle, as well as flags, one symbolizing communism and the other the Russian Revolution.
Neither Damien Tarrell nor Arthur S. have a police record.
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