French presidential candidate Francois Hollande was attacked by a woman armed with a large bag of flour during a campaign appearance on Wednesday.
Despite being heavily protected by body guards, the bag-welding accoster managed to jump on to the podium where socialist Hollande was due to sign a pledge on housing, before giving him a thorough dusting with the powdery ingredient.
The politician's attacker, who said she was 45-years-old, was carried off the stage by her feet, leaving her victim blanketed in white.
The woman said she had been left without money due to the housing laws.
Hollande, who remained calm throughout the incident, described his assailant as an “irresponsible person”, but refused to change his security arrangements. "These are occupational hazards," he said, wiping dust from his soiled specs.
Hollande, the leader of the France’s Socialist Party, is currently leading in the presidential polls, and is the front-runner to win this year’s election.
It is unknown whether the flour was plain or self-raising.