British PM Boris Johnson put his foot up on a table when meeting French President Macron. But why?
Social media users were outraged, but maybe they got it wrong
A photo of Boris Johnson meeting France's Emmanuel Macron caused a stir on social media
— BBC Politics (@BBCPolitics) August 23, 2019
But did the UK PM really put his foot in it?
[tap expand] https://t.co/YZedNXJG0T pic.twitter.com/z8FJ3eANWW
Boris Johnson is known for often putting his foot in his mouth, but this time it’s the British Prime Minister’s foot on a table that has ruffled feathers online.
Images and videos of Johnson resting his right foot on a small table at French President Emmanuel Macron’s palace in France have been met with outrage. While some criticised the prime minister’s manners by calling him uncouth, others questioned his schooling.
Look at this buffoon with his foot on the table. You uncouth gibbon #BorisJohnson pic.twitter.com/JzWbFTRA9P
— JimC (@calexico65) August 22, 2019
#Boris_Johnson:
— Ahmad Al-Issa (@ahmadalissa) August 23, 2019
RUDE AND UN-BRITISH!
Send the fool back to school! pic.twitter.com/j3l006sKaL
Feet off the furniture, you Eton twat. You're not on a punt now!#BorisJohnson #Brexit pic.twitter.com/WwAeorFaaz
— Dara de Brún (@DaraDeBrun) August 22, 2019
Perfectly put @JohnEdwards33 - which #Borisjohnson's feet aren't...... Jx https://t.co/Ti306l69Ky
— Julie Wassmer (@juliewassmer) August 22, 2019
Maybe he was expecting Mr Macron to tie his shoelaces :) #BorisJohnson pic.twitter.com/kHtOFLJ0Pq
— Hants Hippy 🌹 (@hants_hippy) August 22, 2019
However, there appears to have been more to the story. According to a Reuters clip posted by Sky News political correspondent Tom Rayner, President Macron was making small talk about how the tables were small enough to be footstools –– to demonstrate which Johnson lifted his boot onto the table.
According to the BBC, French media have made light of the incident, too.
WATCH: Here’s the Reuters video of Boris Johnson putting his foot on the Elysee furniture. It seems President Macron was making small talk suggesting the table would work equally well as a footstool should the PM want to recline, which Johnson then jokingly does pic.twitter.com/dnv37t9mS4
— Tom Rayner (@RaynerSkyNews) August 22, 2019
Alarmed by the rage online, some twitter users wrote about context and a culture of internet outrage. “Foot. Table. Half a second,” wrote one user. “Does your outrage not ever get exhausting?”
Today's debunked internet rager: The photo of Boris Johnson with his foot on the table.
— Richard Chambers (@newschambers) August 22, 2019
In the Reuters clip, Macron jokes that the tiny table could be used with his chair as a recliner.
Johnson plays along.pic.twitter.com/3ssgTs3M39
He touched his foot on a table for less than half a second. He didn’t turn up to the meeting dressed as Hitler, he didn’t click a button that gave every baby in France an electric shock.
— DSG (@thedsggroup) August 22, 2019
Foot. Table. Half a second.
Does your outrage not ever get exhausting?