BAYONNE, France (AP) — Several hundred angry protesters have booed President Nicolas Sarkozy, forcing him to take refuge in a cafe protected by riot police as he campaigned in France's southwest Basque country.
Riot police surrounded the Bar du Palais where Sarkozy took refuge Thursday from the protesters who booed him throughout his visit to Bayonne. Sarkozy claimed the protesters were organized by the rival Socialist Party.
Inside the cafe, Sarkozy denounced "the violence of a minority and their unacceptable behavior."
The conservative Sarkozy trails Socialist candidate Francois Hollande, the front-runner in the two pronged April and May presidential election. Sarkozy declared his candidacy on Feb. 15.
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