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French man sentenced to 4 months in prison for slapping Macron

In this grab taken from video France's President Emmanuel Macron, centre, is slapped by a man, in green T-shirt, during a visit to Tain-l’Hermitage, in France, Tuesday, June 8, 2021. Macron denounced “violence” and “stupidity” after he was slapped in the face Tuesday by a man during a visit to a small town in southeastern France. The incident prompted a wide show of support for the head of state from politicians across the ideological spectrum. A video shows a man slapping Macron in the face and the president's bodyguards pushing the aggressor away as the head of state was quickly rushed from the scene in the town of Tain-l’Hermitage. (BFM TV via AP)

By: Sarah Dewberry

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The 28-year-old man who slapped French President Emmanuel Macron in the face was sentenced to four months in prison by a French court on Thursday.

According to the Associated Press, Damien Tarel was arrested after slapping Macron in the face Tuesday while the French leader was visiting a small town in southeastern France.

Video of the incident showed a man slapping Macron in the face.

On Thursday, Tarel testified that his actions were impulsive and unplanned, and he was angered at France’s “decline.”

Tarel was convicted for violence against a person invested with public authority and was sentenced to four months in prison.

The court also sentenced him to an additional 14-month suspended sentence, the AP reported.

The court also banned him from ever holding public office and cannot own weapons for five years.