Gunman wearing camouflage jacket fires at Czech President Vaclav Klaus… but weapon was only loaded with plastic pellets

A young man wielding a plastic gun shot Czech President Vaclav Klaus in the arm today - but the plastic pelletsleft him totally unharmed.
Pavel Vondrous was wearing military camouflage when he approached Klaus during a ceremony to open a bridge in Chrastava, a village 60 miles north of Prague.
He opened fire on the President at close range with a handgun that is often used in a game called airsoft, similar to paintball, Nova TV said on its website.

 

 

Shot but unhurt: Czech Republic's President Vaclav Klaus, left, was shot in the arm at close range by Pavel Vondrous in the city of Chrastava - but the plastic gun pellets didn't cause any injuries

 

Arrested: Pavel Vondrous, second right, is detained by police after shooting at Czech President Vaclav Klauswith plastic pellets from a replica gun in the city of Chrastava

The attacker managed to get within a metre of the leader and then walk away after the attack before he was detained by police.
The assailant told a Nova reporter the government was 'blind and deaf to the laments of the people' before he was arrested.

 

'You really did not manage this well,' Nova quoted Klaus as telling his bodyguards.
Klaus, 71, whose second and final term ends next March, is a popular figure in the central European EU country.
But his sharp criticism of the euro, EU integration and efforts to halt global warming as well as his friendly stance towards Russia have won him some enemies. 

 

Gaming gun: A police officer holds the plastic gun shot by the assailant. This type of weapon is often used in a game called airsoft

 

 

Popular: Czech President Vaclav Klaus, centre, has a drink with the Governor of Liberec district Stanislav Eichler, second left, during the opening ceremony of a new bridge in the village of Chrastava