French police apologize to woman who yelled at Macron over rape issues
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Laura, an elementary school teacher, has described the police's demand for an interview as "intimidating".
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Laura, the woman voicing her criticisms to the French President
Today, Saturday, French police have apologized to a woman after they sought to "intimidate" her after she called out renewedly-elected French President Emmanuel Macron on rape allegations against his ministers.
On Thursday, Laura, the 18-year-old high school student receiving an apology, shouted at Macron during his visit to Tarn, south of France. She asked the President why he had "put men at the head of state who are accused of rape and violence against women."
« Vous mettez à la tête de l'Etat des hommes accusés de viol », Laura, la lycéenne de 18 ans qui a interpellé Emmanuel Macron hier à Gaillac à reçu la visite de la gendarmerie au lycée ce matin. Les gendarmes l'ont interrogée pendant 10 minutes pic.twitter.com/a4gOK6goUB
— Anonyme Citoyen (@AnonymeCitoyen) June 10, 2022
There have been rape allegations, made on separate occasions, against the French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin, and the new Solidarity Minister, Damien Abad. Both have denied such allegations.
Macron, in response to the allegations, said that both men should be presumed innocent, as neither of them have been convicted.
On Friday, French police officers interrupted an elementary school class which she was teaching, demanding an interview, according to Le Parisien. Laura did not respond to AFP for comment, but she described the visit as "intimidating".
In a statement on social media Friday, police said their visit "was simply aimed at contacting this person, who presented herself as a victim, to suggest they make a formal complaint."
"We would like to apologise to her if our move to meet her at the high school to discuss this was misperceived and she considers that we were clumsy," the statement added.
