Angry crowd forces Sarkozy to hide in cafe
8:47 AM Friday Mar 2, 2012
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/
French President Nicolas Sarkozy is surrounded by security staff, in
Bayonne. Sarkozy, who is campaigning for re-election, had to take
refuge from an angry crowd in a cafe. Photo / AP
Several hundred angry protesters booed President Nicolas Sarkozy,
forcing him to take refuge in a cafe protected by riot police as he
campaigned in France's southwest Basque country.
Riot police surrounded the Bar du Palais in central Bayonne where
Sarkozy holed up to get away from the protesters some of them Basque
nationalists, others carrying posters of rival Socialist candidate
Francois Hollande.
Inside the cafe, Sarkozy denounced "the violence of a minority and
their unacceptable behavior.''
He remained in the cafe for about an hour, meeting with residents of
Bayonne. Some of the protesters outside threw eggs toward the barrier
of riot police guarding the cafe.
The conservative Sarkozy trails Hollande, the front-runner, in the two
pronged April and May presidential election.
"Here, we're in France, on the territory of the French republic, and
the president of the republic will go everywhere,'' Sarkozy said once
inside the cafe. "And if that doesn't please a minority of
troublemakers, too bad for them.''
The narrow streets of the historic center of Bayonne, in the French
Basque country, were packed with supporters and protesters following
Sarkozy during his visit.
Tension mounted as Basque separatists threw pieces of paper at him.
They were joined by others holding portraits of Hollande and his
presidential program.
"If this is the concept of democracy, that the Socialists associate
with Basque separatists, if this is it, the country they have in mind,
it doesn't make you want to get there,'' Sarkozy said to reporters
inside the cafe.
Sarkozy left the cafe escorted by riot police and protected by an
umbrella.
The president's campaign spokeswoman, Nathalie Kosciusko-Morizet,
asked Socialists to "respect the rules of democratic debate.''
"It's not because you don't have ideas that you have to stop others
from expressing theirs,'' she said.
Sarkozy declared his candidacy on Feb. 15. The latest polls show him
narrowing the gap in the first round but lagging far behind in the
final round. With the president now actively on the campaign trail,
the debate has grown increasingly bitter with harsh denunciations by
supporters on both sides.
-AP
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/
8:47 AM Friday Mar 2, 2012
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/
French President Nicolas Sarkozy is surrounded by security staff, in
Bayonne. Sarkozy, who is campaigning for re-election, had to take
refuge from an angry crowd in a cafe. Photo / AP
Several hundred angry protesters booed President Nicolas Sarkozy,
forcing him to take refuge in a cafe protected by riot police as he
campaigned in France's southwest Basque country.
Riot police surrounded the Bar du Palais in central Bayonne where
Sarkozy holed up to get away from the protesters some of them Basque
nationalists, others carrying posters of rival Socialist candidate
Francois Hollande.
Inside the cafe, Sarkozy denounced "the violence of a minority and
their unacceptable behavior.''
He remained in the cafe for about an hour, meeting with residents of
Bayonne. Some of the protesters outside threw eggs toward the barrier
of riot police guarding the cafe.
The conservative Sarkozy trails Hollande, the front-runner, in the two
pronged April and May presidential election.
"Here, we're in France, on the territory of the French republic, and
the president of the republic will go everywhere,'' Sarkozy said once
inside the cafe. "And if that doesn't please a minority of
troublemakers, too bad for them.''
The narrow streets of the historic center of Bayonne, in the French
Basque country, were packed with supporters and protesters following
Sarkozy during his visit.
Tension mounted as Basque separatists threw pieces of paper at him.
They were joined by others holding portraits of Hollande and his
presidential program.
"If this is the concept of democracy, that the Socialists associate
with Basque separatists, if this is it, the country they have in mind,
it doesn't make you want to get there,'' Sarkozy said to reporters
inside the cafe.
Sarkozy left the cafe escorted by riot police and protected by an
umbrella.
The president's campaign spokeswoman, Nathalie Kosciusko-Morizet,
asked Socialists to "respect the rules of democratic debate.''
"It's not because you don't have ideas that you have to stop others
from expressing theirs,'' she said.
Sarkozy declared his candidacy on Feb. 15. The latest polls show him
narrowing the gap in the first round but lagging far behind in the
final round. With the president now actively on the campaign trail,
the debate has grown increasingly bitter with harsh denunciations by
supporters on both sides.
-AP
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/
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