A woman who claims she is being watched by police and that her life
has been threatened dumped flour on the leading candidate in France's
presidential elections during a campaign appearance Wednesday.
The woman — who later identified herself to TV cameras as 45-year-old
Claire Seguin — ran up to the podium where Socialist Francois Hollande
stood to sign a "social contract" in favor of housing for all.
Hollande, who has consistently led polls, well ahead of President
Nicolas Sarkozy, remained calm throughout the incident, though his
glasses, hair and suit were covered in white. He was hustled off the
stage, and when he spoke to reporters afterward, he stayed on point,
discussing the importance of housing reform.
Body guards who jumped in to protect Hollande also took a dusting. The
guards also immobilized Seguin and then carried her off the stage by
her hands and feet. A police official later confirmed that she was
carrying a kilogram of flour at the time and is in police custody. The
official spoke on condition of anonymity, citing policy.
The guards who carried her off the stage later let her speak briefly
to a few journalists before taking her away. She shouted into their
cameras that she had been the victim of an unspecified injustice and
that the Socialists were trying to kill her. She directed them to her
blog.
On the blog, which includes an open letter to Sarkozy, Seguin
describes being harassed by superiors when she was a teacher and
claims that she is the victim of a concerted campaign to defame her
and that her life has been threatened and her privacy violated. She
says she has filed numerous legal complaints, but none has been acted
on
Najat Vallaud-Belkacem, a spokeswoman for Hollande, told French
television channel BFM that the incident was isolated and committed by
a woman who appeared unstable. She said Hollande's security would be
gradually increased as the campaign progressed, as it would for all
candidates. The election will be held in two rounds in April and May.
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