Elysée palace protester against arts cuts used car as weapon, say French police

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/dec/26/elysee-car-protest-attack

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The director of a Paris theatre was arrested on Thursday after trying to force his way into the Elysée presidential palace by crashing his car against its gates.

A security cordon was thrown around the building after police took 67-year-old Italian Attilio Maggiulli into custody on charges of damaging a public utility, endangering lives and violence against a public servant with an weapon, his car.

The suspect wanted to bring to President François Hollande's attention the cuts in public subsidies to his theatre, the Comédie Italienne, police said. He was reported to have sprayed his car with white spirit and "lightly tapped" the gates "at a slow speed" at around 10am.

"The man was immediately arrested," said a police spokesperson, adding: "He wanted to draw attention to the financial difficulties of the theatre he runs."

Police said they had cautioned Maggiulli the previous day, Christmas Day, after he had jumped out of his car near the Elysée and set fire to a harlequin doll he had sprinkled with white spirit. "He also threw leaflets on the street in which he attacked the reduction of subsidies for his theatre. He was arrested, questioned then released shortly afterwards without charge," police said.

The present-day Comédie Italienne on the rue de la Gaité in Paris's 14th arrondissement was founded in 1980 by Maggiulli after the closing of the Teatrino Italiano. It is the only Italian theatre in France and only performs plays by Italian writers translated into French.

In 1999, Maggiulli went on hunger strike until the French government cancelled a tax bill and gave his theatre "non-profit making organisation" status. Maggiulli said he had the support of New York mayor Rudolph Giuliani and actor Robert De Niro in his campaign.

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