Bottle thrown at Sarkozy during school visit
French President Nicolas Sarkozy had to dodge a projectile on Tuesday during a visit to discuss violence and truancy in schools. Sarkozy was in Beauvais, about 80 kilometres north of Paris, where he hit out against absenteeism, which heβs described as a βcancerβ.
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The identity of the bottle-thrower remained a mystery Wednesday morning.
One of Sarkozyβs bodyguards came between the plastic bottle and the president at Charles Fauqueux high school in Beauvais.
It was thrown as pupils gathered around the president, seeking to shake his hand, before he was set to visit an art class in which pupils had drawn pictures on the subject βexpress your fearsβ.
Sarkozy was in Beauvais to highlight his governmentβs plans to freeze benefit payments for families whose children remain absent from school for prolonged periods.
After four and a half days of unjustified absence, the headmaster will propose a βcontract of parental responsibilityβ, explained Sarkozy.
βIf it happens again, benefits will be cancelled,β he said. The allocation will then be βretrospectivelyβ paid when the student returns to school.
The proposals will be examined by the French parliament in mid-June.
Footage of the bottle attack (this footage has been blocked by the original broadcaster):
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