Press
The spokesperson of the French government and her team are attacked. Two people are injured. The fear of violence continues to grow.
Paris – In Nanterre on Wednesday evening (03 July) there was an attack on the outgoing French government spokeswoman Prisca Thevenot (Renaissance) and other members of her campaign team. Two people suffered physical injuries. The public prosecutor’s office has now begun investigations. Apparently three minors and one adult were arrested. A few days before the second round of voting in the French parliamentary elections This increases concerns about further attacks.
According to the newspaper The Parisian On Wednesday at around 8 p.m., Thevenot was in her constituency of Meudon with her deputy Virginie Lanlo and two members of her team, putting up election posters for the second round of the election on Sunday (July 7). The government spokeswoman told the newspaper that she first noticed how some young people were “in the process of damaging posters.”
Macron’s government spokeswoman’s team attacked – “Everything happened very, very quickly”
After the campaigners had calmly asked them to stop, a man tore down a poster and shouted “To the Koran, call everyone”. He eventually returned accompanied by “about twenty people” and then there was a scuffle. “Everything happened very, very quickly, as the national police, who were supposed to be patrolling the area, arrived within five minutes,” the government spokeswoman said.
Thevenot was not physically injured, the report continued. Her deputy, Lanlo, was less fortunate and suffered a laceration on her arm. An unnamed campaign worker fared even worse. He suffered a broken jaw, which he said was caused by several punches and blows from a scooter. Both were taken to the Percy Hospital in Clamart. The government spokeswoman has filed a complaint.
Nanterre public prosecutor launches investigation – French politicians are “deeply shocked”
During the course of the evening, four people were arrested, the newspaper continued. Three of them were minors. Meanwhile, the Nanterre public prosecutor’s office has launched an investigation into “Violence in a meeting against an elected official“ This was reported by the news agency AFP.
Numerous politicians expressed their solidarity with those attacked. “Violence and intimidation have no place in our democracy,” said Prime Minister Gabriel Attal in a post on X. Foreign Minister Stéphane Séjourné also stated on the short message platform that he was “deeply shocked by the attack.”
Dissatisfaction with Macron has increased – and with it the fear of attacks
The attack is just one of many similar incidents during this election campaign. Several other politicians have already been the target of attacks. Health Minister Frédéric Valletoux had therefore expressed concern about the increasing tensions in the election campaign, such as “insults at on-site meetings that quickly escalate”. A few hours before the incident, Thevenot himself had pointed out that racism was increasing in the election campaign. A candidate from the right-wing populist party National Rally told her to “return to her island.” The government spokeswoman’s parents come from the island of Mauritius.
Since the decision of French President Emmanuel Macron to close Parliament after the disastrous result of the European elections his Renaissance party and he have fallen even further in the voters’ favor. “The rejection of the President of the Republic has never been so great,” Alain Duhamel, a journalist and political essayist, told EuronewsThe greatest incomprehension among the electorate is his decision to dissolve the assembly. This is seen as “a betrayal” and “a reaction of hurt pride”. For some, this reinforces the image of an authoritarian and arrogant leader who has pushed unpopular reforms through parliament. (tpn)
#Macron #spokeswoman #attacked #days #French #election