Emmanuel Macron slapped in the face while shaking hands with members of the public

French President Emmanuel Macron was slapped in the face during a visit to southern France before he was quickly pulled away unharmed by his bodyguards.

In a video posted online, a man wearing a standard Covid-19 face mask exchanges a few words with Mr Macron as the president approaches the crowd during a visit to the town of Tain-l'Hermitage.

As Mr Macron grips his arm, the man hits him on his left cheek before being controlled by the presidential security team.

“A man indeed tried to hit the president. We have no further comment at that stage,” a spokesman for the French presidency said.

“The discussions with the crowd and the hand shaking went on. The trip goes on."

Two people were arrested, according to local authorities.

Prime Minister Jean Castex was given a standing ovation at the start of government questions in the National Assembly in Paris when he condemned the attack.

“Through the head of state, it is quite simply democracy that is targeted,” Mr Castex said.

“Democracy is about debate, dialogue, competing ideas, the expression of legitimate disagreement. But it can never be about violence.”

Earlier in the visit, Mr Macron urged “everybody to calm down” amid rising political tensions with the presidential election less than a year away.

On Sunday, Jean-Luc Melenchon, a far-left candidate for the presidency, suggested that a “grave incident or a murder” could occur to upset the wider population and “invent a civil war” before the vote.

After widespread criticism, Mr Melenchon backtracked, saying that aggressors focus on the run-up to elections to attract as much attention as possible.

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets

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Other acts on the Jazz Garden bill

Sharrie Williams
The American singer is hugely respected in blues circles due to her passionate vocals and songwriting. Born and raised in Michigan, Williams began recording and touring as a teenage gospel singer. Her career took off with the blues band The Wiseguys. Such was the acclaim of their live shows that they toured throughout Europe and in Africa. As a solo artist, Williams has also collaborated with the likes of the late Dizzy Gillespie, Van Morrison and Mavis Staples.
Lin Rountree
An accomplished smooth jazz artist who blends his chilled approach with R‘n’B. Trained at the Duke Ellington School of the Arts in Washington, DC, Rountree formed his own band in 2004. He has also recorded with the likes of Kem, Dwele and Conya Doss. He comes to Dubai on the back of his new single Pass The Groove, from his forthcoming 2018 album Stronger Still, which may follow his five previous solo albums in cracking the top 10 of the US jazz charts.
Anita Williams
Dubai-based singer Anita Williams will open the night with a set of covers and swing, jazz and blues standards that made her an in-demand singer across the emirate. The Irish singer has been performing in Dubai since 2008 at venues such as MusicHall and Voda Bar. Her Jazz Garden appearance is career highlight as she will use the event to perform the original song Big Blue Eyes, the single from her debut solo album, due for release soon.