Newly re-elected French President Emmanuel Macron narrowly avoided being pelted by what looked like a small sackful of cherry tomatoes as he waded through a boisterous and packed crowd in a market north-west of Paris.
About six of the small fruits, some orange, some red, contained in what looked like a blue plastic bag, flew over the head of the French leader and bounced off the shoulder and arm of two men beside him, according to broadcaster BFM-TV’s video.
Mr Macron himself seemed oblivious of the near-miss until someone in the crowd shouted “projectile” and bodyguards raised arms over the president’s head to cover him.
Someone then unfurled a black umbrella to shield Mr Macron, and his security detail steered him to cover under a nearby market stall parasol.
The president sheltered there for a few moments until things calmed down.
Mr Macron, ostensibly unharmed and unperturbed, then happily continued his walkabout in Cergy-Pontoise, mingling and talking to people at the market.
He told reporters he visited the working-class neighbourhood as part of his previously stated pledge to unite France after the bruising presidential campaign.
The 44-year-old comfortably beat far-right rival Marine Le Pen in the election run-off on Sunday.
Looks like the French people are extremely unhappy with the recent election results. Check out Macron nearly getting hit with a tomato here. What are your thoughts, was the French Election as free and fair as the 2020 election was here?pic.twitter.com/cEtyuBjR74
— Bert Samson (@ChiActivist312) April 27, 2022
