Shot fired at Chirac, France surrenders.

Fred Hansen · July 14, 2002, 03:54 PM

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,57655,00.html

PARIS — A would-be assassin pulled a rifle out of a guitar case and fired at least one shot as French President Jacques Chirac passed Sunday during the annual Bastille Day military parade. The man was arrested and no injuries were reported.

The man was a right-wing extremist who intended to kill the French president, according to a government minister, Patrick Devedjian. He told The Associated Press that the man fired a shot and then tried to shoot himself.

Cries of alarm from the crowd lining the parade route apparently alerted police, and the gunman fired just before he was wrestled to the ground. Agents stood him up, searched him and took him away in a van.

"It was an assassination attempt," said Devedjian, who is under the Interior Minister. "He fired a first shot ... then he was overcome and tried to turn the weapon against himself."

AP
Sunday: Police arrest a man who was carrying a rifle during the parade.
"He admitted he wanted to kill the president," added Devedjian.

The Paris police said in a statement that the man was 25 years old and was a member of "neo-Nazi and hooligan" groups. France 2 television said he had a history of emotional problems.

The man was 40 to 55 yards from the French president. It was not immediately clear if the shot came near Chirac or if the gunman fired into the air as police converged on him. LCI television said the gunman fired "at least one shot," suggesting the possibility of more rounds.

The man's motives for attacking Chirac were not immediately known. The center-right leader crushed far-right candidate Jean Marie Le Pen in presidential elections in May.

AP
Sunday: A police officer carries the rifle seized from a man during the Bastille Day parade.
Members of the crowd said the man, who had short, brown hair, took his .22-caliber gun out of a brown guitar case as the French president was being driven past, down the Champs-Elysees aboard an open-topped jeep.

Officers in civilian clothes put the gun and the guitar case in the van that took the man away. It was not known whether Chirac was aware of the gunman or heard the shot.

The military parade, a colorful pageant with troops, armored vehicles and aircraft roaring overhead, continued uninterrupted. The parade is a highlight of celebrations marking Bastille Day, France's national holiday.

The man was arrested at the top of the Champs-Elysees where it empties into Place Charles de Gaulle, site of the famous Arc of Triumph. He managed to reach the flag-bedecked Champs-Elysees despite heavy security. Police lined the avenue and mingled with crowds along the route.

FNC
In a traditional televised Bastille Day interview after the parade, Chirac was not asked about the assassination attempt and did not mention it.

He called for a radical tightening of France's asylum laws and stronger efforts against the smugglers of illegal immigrants. Chirac also said the French military needs strengthening and expressed support for the building of a second aircraft carrier.

The electoral triumph in May won Chirac a second presidential term. His victory was followed in June by legislative elections won by Chirac's conservative allies, ending five years of Socialist government that had restricted Chirac's power to act.

"I want to act now with determination and, I would say, with enthusiasm," Chirac said in the interview from his presidential Elysee Palace. He said he hoped "to give fresh impetus to France."

KSFreeman · July 14, 2002, 03:59 PM

A French aircraft carrier? What on earf would they do with it, other than sail it to the harbor of the next conquering nation?

Erich · July 14, 2002, 08:01 PM

Now, now, guys. I'm not one to defend the French, but they know how to handle eco-weenies. Maybe the aircraft carrier is to blow up more Greenpeace ships . . . they're harder to hit when they're not tied up at the dock!

P.S. - my favorite joke:

Why are the streets of Paris lined with trees?
So the Germans can march in the shade!

hksigwalther · July 14, 2002, 08:07 PM

"Shot fired at Chirac, France surrenders."

HAHAHAHAHAHA

KSFreeman · July 14, 2002, 08:22 PM

I'm all for wacking watermelons, but an aircraft carrier?

Saw the little gun the frog tried to off Le Presidente with on CNN at the gym Sunday night. Was it a Remington 572? Only showed a glimpse of it. Anyone get a better look?

What would a frog do with a weapon anyway except turn it in.

Erich, the French Army's manual of arms has three positions: 1. waving over the head when the Americans come to save you; 2. formal surrender hand over; 3. thrown on the ground and running off with cheese and wine.

bastiat · July 14, 2002, 09:09 PM

I was flipping through the channels and saw CNN refer to the weapon as a '.22 sporting rifle'.

Maybe someone at CNN is referring to the 'sporting purpose' clause...

C.R.Sam · July 14, 2002, 09:12 PM

Whoa there.
They call him a right wing extremist...
And a Neo Nazi

Can't be both.
Nazi = Social Democrat, by their book.

Media; Bah

Sam

**Mike Irwin** · July 14, 2002, 09:16 PM

I think the traditional view of fascism is that it is right wing, even with its socialist overtones. It's certainly more rightwing than communism.

Anywho, the French have been building their aircraft carrier for something like 12 years now. It's a case study in how to completely bungle a project.

Mike Davies · July 14, 2002, 09:45 PM

"Fascism" is the joining together, and co-operation of, church, state and industry. Comes from the old Latin word for bundles of wheat tied together, which is also a symbol of Fascism. It is also a symbol of the US Republic (as seen behind the speaker)...not too sure what that represents.
Fascism, although having a facade of "Socialism", is about as right-wing as you can get. Unless you belong to a militia group in Oregon.

Mike

KSFreeman · July 14, 2002, 10:05 PM

Look at the back of an old U.S. dime. Bundles of sticks. I looked at Canadian money once but was blinded by the Queen. "We are not amused."

The bundle of sticks is not only in the House, but the Supreme Court as well (so is the Ten Commandments, OMG). It represents the states coming together to form a bigger club.

Right vs. Left, depends on the definition. To me, it is left. Socialism: The philosophy of a termite mound.

bad_dad_brad · July 14, 2002, 10:31 PM

Funny line, but consider a bit of history:

Napoleon and his citizen army nearly conquered Europe.

The French Army in World War I fought tenatiously.

So did individual French soldiers in World War II. It was French leadership that caved during that conflict coupled with outdated tactics.

Would you want to take on the French Foriegn Legion in Central Africa? Sure those guys are not French but they are trained by them.

Still, it was a funny line!

And Mike is dead on in his description of Fascism. The United States is steadily moving towards that concept of government, if not already there.

Mk VII · July 15, 2002, 08:28 AM

it always intrigues me why Americans have such contempt for the French, recycling most of the jokes that we use about Italians for the purpose (jokes are a renewable resource

). Perhaps it's because the French have such contempt for the Coca-Cola culture and suspicion of Anglo-American politics. France doggedly pursues it's own national interest and has a highly sucessful arms industry, not least because they will sell to anyone and don't impose an embargo on the customer just at the time he wants more.

Ceol Mhor · July 15, 2002, 08:47 AM

IIRC, that's not a bundle of sticks but a bundle of arrows that the eagle is holding in the US seal.

daniel (australia) · July 15, 2002, 09:46 AM

FWIW I saw a good news photo of the rifle - a CZ ZKM 452, .22 RF

A bolt action .22, fired from the crowd, at a moving target? Makes you wonder if the bloke was serious.

dZ · July 15, 2002, 10:26 AM

thar she blows:

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmp...168/1unq5.html

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmp...168/1um3y.html

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmp...161/1uly6.html

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmp...170/1ukwm.html

M1911 · July 15, 2002, 11:23 AM

Quote:

I'm all for wacking watermelons, but an aircraft carrier?

The french have had a conventional carrier for decades.

The brits are looking at building a real carrier (as opposed to the through-deck cruisers they used in the Falklands), but I suspect when push comes to shove, they won't cough up the dough.

As the Falklands proved, surface ships are very vulnerable without a AWACs aircraft and fighter defense. A conventional aircraft carrier like the Foch provides that a lot better than a through-deck cruiser.

M1911

Watch-Six · July 15, 2002, 12:35 PM

I know that it is funny to laugh at the French military, but please tolerate a very brief review of history. Not only did Napoleon pretty much take over Europe for a while, the French may well have saved our butts in the Revolutionary War. If you don't read history, at least go replay "The Patriot" on video to get a clue about the French role in the American Revolution. Watch-Six

Dave R · July 15, 2002, 12:41 PM

'it always intrigues me why Americans have such contempt for the French..."

1) Frenchman attempts to assassinate the PM...with a .22

2) He misses

3) He attempts to kill himself

4) He misses (or at least fails in the attempt).

Any questions?

(jk)

dev_null · July 15, 2002, 03:34 PM

Does this mean John Hinckley was a closet Frenchman?

-0-

Fred Hansen · July 15, 2002, 07:16 PM

He was...until you "outed" him.

KSFreeman · July 15, 2002, 07:28 PM

M1911, yeah, what I meant to say "but an aircraft carrier for wacking watermelons?" Can't you just drive them off with soap (oh, yeah, the French would never have that around)?

**Marko Kloos** · July 15, 2002, 07:32 PM

The Frogs have had two conventional bird farms since the 1960s: the Foch and the Clemenceau. They're both oil burners in the 30-40,000 ton range. The new aircraft carrier is the De Gaulle, and it has nuclear propulsion. Displacement is about two-thirds that of our Nimitz-class supercarriers.

jem375 · July 15, 2002, 07:35 PM

My paper said the distance from the idiot to the president was around 450 feet, and if that is the case he probably would have missed anyway.........

Dave R · July 15, 2002, 08:31 PM

Taking a 450 yard shot with a .22--I rest my case.

July 15, 2002, 09:16 PM

The AP wire said:

Quote:

The man was 40 to 55 yards from the French president.

Not the 450 feet JEM375's paper said or the 450 yards that DaveR said.

Who's right? I dunno I wasn't there.

July 14, 2002, 03:54 PM	#1
Fred Hansen Senior Member Join Date: May 30, 2001 Location: The middle of WWIII Posts: 3,340	Shot fired at Chirac, France surrenders. http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,57655,00.html PARIS — A would-be assassin pulled a rifle out of a guitar case and fired at least one shot as French President Jacques Chirac passed Sunday during the annual Bastille Day military parade. The man was arrested and no injuries were reported. The man was a right-wing extremist who intended to kill the French president, according to a government minister, Patrick Devedjian. He told The Associated Press that the man fired a shot and then tried to shoot himself. Cries of alarm from the crowd lining the parade route apparently alerted police, and the gunman fired just before he was wrestled to the ground. Agents stood him up, searched him and took him away in a van. "It was an assassination attempt," said Devedjian, who is under the Interior Minister. "He fired a first shot ... then he was overcome and tried to turn the weapon against himself." AP Sunday: Police arrest a man who was carrying a rifle during the parade. "He admitted he wanted to kill the president," added Devedjian. The Paris police said in a statement that the man was 25 years old and was a member of "neo-Nazi and hooligan" groups. France 2 television said he had a history of emotional problems. The man was 40 to 55 yards from the French president. It was not immediately clear if the shot came near Chirac or if the gunman fired into the air as police converged on him. LCI television said the gunman fired "at least one shot," suggesting the possibility of more rounds. The man's motives for attacking Chirac were not immediately known. The center-right leader crushed far-right candidate Jean Marie Le Pen in presidential elections in May. AP Sunday: A police officer carries the rifle seized from a man during the Bastille Day parade. Members of the crowd said the man, who had short, brown hair, took his .22-caliber gun out of a brown guitar case as the French president was being driven past, down the Champs-Elysees aboard an open-topped jeep. Officers in civilian clothes put the gun and the guitar case in the van that took the man away. It was not known whether Chirac was aware of the gunman or heard the shot. The military parade, a colorful pageant with troops, armored vehicles and aircraft roaring overhead, continued uninterrupted. The parade is a highlight of celebrations marking Bastille Day, France's national holiday. The man was arrested at the top of the Champs-Elysees where it empties into Place Charles de Gaulle, site of the famous Arc of Triumph. He managed to reach the flag-bedecked Champs-Elysees despite heavy security. Police lined the avenue and mingled with crowds along the route. FNC In a traditional televised Bastille Day interview after the parade, Chirac was not asked about the assassination attempt and did not mention it. He called for a radical tightening of France's asylum laws and stronger efforts against the smugglers of illegal immigrants. Chirac also said the French military needs strengthening and expressed support for the building of a second aircraft carrier. The electoral triumph in May won Chirac a second presidential term. His victory was followed in June by legislative elections won by Chirac's conservative allies, ending five years of Socialist government that had restricted Chirac's power to act. "I want to act now with determination and, I would say, with enthusiasm," Chirac said in the interview from his presidential Elysee Palace. He said he hoped "to give fresh impetus to France." __________________ "This started out as a documentary on gun violence in America, but the largest mass murder in our history was just committed -- without the use of a single gun! Not a single bullet fired! No bomb was set off, no missile was fired, no weapon (i.e., a device that was solely and specifically manufactured to kill humans) was used. A boxcutter! -- I can't stop thinking about this. A thousand gun control laws would not have prevented this massacre. What am I doing?" Michael Moore

July 14, 2002, 03:59 PM	#2
KSFreeman Senior Member Join Date: June 9, 2001 Location: Lafayette, Indiana--American-occupied America Posts: 5,404	A French aircraft carrier? What on earf would they do with it, other than sail it to the harbor of the next conquering nation? __________________ "Arguments of policy must give way to a constitutional command." Payton v. New York, 445 U.S. 573, 602 (1980).

July 14, 2002, 08:07 PM	#4
hksigwalther Senior Member Join Date: November 18, 1998 Location: NE OH, USA Posts: 3,202	"Shot fired at Chirac, France surrenders." HAHAHAHAHAHA __________________ - Ron V.

July 14, 2002, 08:22 PM	#5
KSFreeman Senior Member Join Date: June 9, 2001 Location: Lafayette, Indiana--American-occupied America Posts: 5,404	I'm all for wacking watermelons, but an aircraft carrier? Saw the little gun the frog tried to off Le Presidente with on CNN at the gym Sunday night. Was it a Remington 572? Only showed a glimpse of it. Anyone get a better look? What would a frog do with a weapon anyway except turn it in. Erich, the French Army's manual of arms has three positions: 1. waving over the head when the Americans come to save you; 2. formal surrender hand over; 3. thrown on the ground and running off with cheese and wine. __________________ "Arguments of policy must give way to a constitutional command." Payton v. New York, 445 U.S. 573, 602 (1980).

July 14, 2002, 09:09 PM	#6
bastiat Senior Member Join Date: February 14, 2001 Posts: 1,775	I was flipping through the channels and saw CNN refer to the weapon as a '.22 sporting rifle'. Maybe someone at CNN is referring to the 'sporting purpose' clause... __________________ Flashbunny.org - Pro-Freedom Propaganda Politically Incorrect & Pro-Gun Stuff To Buy

July 14, 2002, 08:01 PM	#3
Erich Senior Member Join Date: January 8, 1999 Location: Albuquerque, NM, USA Posts: 2,371	Now, now, guys. I'm not one to defend the French, but they know how to handle eco-weenies. Maybe the aircraft carrier is to blow up more Greenpeace ships . . . they're harder to hit when they're not tied up at the dock! P.S. - my favorite joke: Why are the streets of Paris lined with trees? So the Germans can march in the shade!

July 14, 2002, 09:12 PM	#7
C.R.Sam Senior Member Join Date: October 29, 1999 Location: Dewey, AZ Posts: 12,876	Whoa there. They call him a right wing extremist... And a Neo Nazi Can't be both. Nazi = Social Democrat, by their book. Media; Bah Sam

July 14, 2002, 09:16 PM	#8
Mike Irwin Staff Join Date: April 13, 2000 Location: Northern Virginia Posts: 21,782	I think the traditional view of fascism is that it is right wing, even with its socialist overtones. It's certainly more rightwing than communism. Anywho, the French have been building their aircraft carrier for something like 12 years now. It's a case study in how to completely bungle a project. __________________ Coworkers. A convenient source of food in a post apocalyptic world.

July 14, 2002, 09:45 PM	#9
Mike Davies Senior Member Join Date: April 8, 2000 Location: Vancouver, Canada Posts: 377	"Fascism" is the joining together, and co-operation of, church, state and industry. Comes from the old Latin word for bundles of wheat tied together, which is also a symbol of Fascism. It is also a symbol of the US Republic (as seen behind the speaker)...not too sure what that represents. Fascism, although having a facade of "Socialism", is about as right-wing as you can get. Unless you belong to a militia group in Oregon. Mike

July 14, 2002, 10:05 PM	#10
KSFreeman Senior Member Join Date: June 9, 2001 Location: Lafayette, Indiana--American-occupied America Posts: 5,404	Look at the back of an old U.S. dime. Bundles of sticks. I looked at Canadian money once but was blinded by the Queen. "We are not amused." The bundle of sticks is not only in the House, but the Supreme Court as well (so is the Ten Commandments, OMG). It represents the states coming together to form a bigger club. Right vs. Left, depends on the definition. To me, it is left. Socialism: The philosophy of a termite mound. __________________ "Arguments of policy must give way to a constitutional command." Payton v. New York, 445 U.S. 573, 602 (1980).

July 14, 2002, 10:31 PM	#11
bad_dad_brad Senior Member Join Date: April 8, 2000 Posts: 867	Funny line, but consider a bit of history: Napoleon and his citizen army nearly conquered Europe. The French Army in World War I fought tenatiously. So did individual French soldiers in World War II. It was French leadership that caved during that conflict coupled with outdated tactics. Would you want to take on the French Foriegn Legion in Central Africa? Sure those guys are not French but they are trained by them. Still, it was a funny line! And Mike is dead on in his description of Fascism. The United States is steadily moving towards that concept of government, if not already there.

July 15, 2002, 08:28 AM	#12
Mk VII Senior Member Join Date: November 23, 2000 Location: England Posts: 257	it always intrigues me why Americans have such contempt for the French, recycling most of the jokes that we use about Italians for the purpose (jokes are a renewable resource ). Perhaps it's because the French have such contempt for the Coca-Cola culture and suspicion of Anglo-American politics. France doggedly pursues it's own national interest and has a highly sucessful arms industry, not least because they will sell to anyone and don't impose an embargo on the customer just at the time he wants more.

July 15, 2002, 08:47 AM	#13
Ceol Mhor Senior Member Join Date: October 24, 2001 Posts: 1,024	IIRC, that's not a bundle of sticks but a bundle of arrows that the eagle is holding in the US seal. __________________ "There goes as if deranged a German soldier, with burning helmet on his head, making horrible noises. A second, as though possessed, yells "Jews...weapons. Jews...weapons." - From an anonymous eyewitness' description of the first battle of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising

July 15, 2002, 09:46 AM	#14
daniel (australia) Member Join Date: March 24, 2002 Posts: 26	FWIW I saw a good news photo of the rifle - a CZ ZKM 452, .22 RF A bolt action .22, fired from the crowd, at a moving target? Makes you wonder if the bloke was serious.

July 15, 2002, 10:26 AM	#15
dZ Senior Member Join Date: May 31, 1999 Location: the Fetid Swamp, DC Posts: 7,565	thar she blows: http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmp...168/1unq5.html http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmp...168/1um3y.html http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmp...161/1uly6.html http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmp...170/1ukwm.html __________________ "O tell the Lacedomecians to damn the torpedoes." BOTR, Chapter V: Some Monsters

July 15, 2002, 12:35 PM	#17
Watch-Six Senior Member Join Date: April 19, 2000 Location: Utah Posts: 654	I know that it is funny to laugh at the French military, but please tolerate a very brief review of history. Not only did Napoleon pretty much take over Europe for a while, the French may well have saved our butts in the Revolutionary War. If you don't read history, at least go replay "The Patriot" on video to get a clue about the French role in the American Revolution. Watch-Six

July 15, 2002, 12:41 PM	#18
Dave R Senior Member Join Date: January 7, 2000 Location: Idaho Posts: 5,405	'it always intrigues me why Americans have such contempt for the French..." 1) Frenchman attempts to assassinate the PM...with a .22 2) He misses 3) He attempts to kill himself 4) He misses (or at least fails in the attempt). Any questions? (jk) __________________ I am Pro-Rights (on gun issues).

July 15, 2002, 03:34 PM	#19
dev_null Senior Member Join Date: June 23, 2002 Location: Austin TX Posts: 513	Does this mean John Hinckley was a closet Frenchman? -0-

July 15, 2002, 07:16 PM	#20
Fred Hansen Senior Member Join Date: May 30, 2001 Location: The middle of WWIII Posts: 3,340	He was...until you "outed" him. __________________ "This started out as a documentary on gun violence in America, but the largest mass murder in our history was just committed -- without the use of a single gun! Not a single bullet fired! No bomb was set off, no missile was fired, no weapon (i.e., a device that was solely and specifically manufactured to kill humans) was used. A boxcutter! -- I can't stop thinking about this. A thousand gun control laws would not have prevented this massacre. What am I doing?" Michael Moore

July 15, 2002, 07:28 PM	#21
KSFreeman Senior Member Join Date: June 9, 2001 Location: Lafayette, Indiana--American-occupied America Posts: 5,404	M1911, yeah, what I meant to say "but an aircraft carrier for wacking watermelons?" Can't you just drive them off with soap (oh, yeah, the French would never have that around)? __________________ "Arguments of policy must give way to a constitutional command." Payton v. New York, 445 U.S. 573, 602 (1980).

July 15, 2002, 07:32 PM	#22
Marko Kloos Staff Lead Join Date: January 12, 2000 Location: Enfield, NH Posts: 5,471	The Frogs have had two conventional bird farms since the 1960s: the Foch and the Clemenceau. They're both oil burners in the 30-40,000 ton range. The new aircraft carrier is the De Gaulle, and it has nuclear propulsion. Displacement is about two-thirds that of our Nimitz-class supercarriers. __________________ "The right to buy weapons is the right to be free." --A.E. Van Vogt, The Weapon Shops of Isher the munchkin wrangler.

July 15, 2002, 07:35 PM	#23
jem375 Senior Member Join Date: May 31, 2002 Location: Minnesota Posts: 349	My paper said the distance from the idiot to the president was around 450 feet, and if that is the case he probably would have missed anyway.........

July 15, 2002, 08:31 PM	#24
Dave R Senior Member Join Date: January 7, 2000 Location: Idaho Posts: 5,405	Taking a 450 yard shot with a .22--I rest my case. __________________ I am Pro-Rights (on gun issues).