Spectators boo French president at Paris Olympics opening ceremony Unexpected backlash

French President Emmanuel Macron faced an unexpected backlash from the audience at the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games in Paris.

Spectators reportedly booed and whistled during his speech, Caliber.Az reports, citing foreign media.

The incident was highlighted by Florian Philippot, leader of the French party "Patriots," who shared his observations on the social media platform X.

Philippot noted that the reaction came even from an audience that had been "carefully selected," suggesting a general discontent among the public with Macron's presence at the event. He remarked that the response was significant enough to visibly unsettle the President.

The party leader also attached a short video clip to his post, capturing the moment when the crowd expressed their displeasure. In the footage, the sounds of booing and shouting can be heard as Macron addresses the attendees.

The 2024 Summer Olympics are being held in the French capital from 26 July to 11 August. The ceremony was attended by 10,500 athletes from 206 countries. About 300,000 spectators were watching the opening ceremony. In addition, the event was broadcast on huge screens for residents and guests of the city.

The Paris Olympics sees the return of sports such as baseball/softball and karate, which were introduced in Tokyo 2020. New additions include skateboarding, sport climbing, surfing, and breaking (breakdancing), reflecting a trend towards youth-oriented and urban sports.