Three Anti-Macron Protesters Face Prison for Giving President the Middle Finger
by Peter Caddle
French authorities have confirmed that they will prosecute three anti-Macron protesters over allegations they gave the embattled president the middle finger.
Two men and one woman reportedly face the possibility of a criminal conviction at the hands of French prosecutors after giving President Emmanuel Macron the middle finger, reports in local media have claimed.
The three are reportedly thought to have fallen foul of a draconian law in the country that forbids statements that “affect the personal dignity or the respect owed to a public official” with the alleged gesture, which is said to have been given while Macron was touring the country earlier in the week in a desperate attempt to regain the favour of the public.
According to a report by BFMTV, prosecutors have claimed that all three individuals — none of whom have previous convictions — have admitted to giving the gesture said to have been directed at the President during his trip to Sélestat earlier this week. They will all face trial in September.
Under the French Criminal Code such an offence carries heavy penalties, including a fine of 15,000 euros and potentially up to one year in prison, according to broadcaster La Chaîne Info.