Plastic pellets fired at Czech president

The Czech Republic president was attacked by a man wielding a pellet gun on Friday (September 28) during a routine visit to a village.

President Vaclav Klaus was in a local area for the opening of a new bridge.

But as he met the crowd, a man opened fire with an airsoft gun - hitting the president on the arm.

While he escaped uninjured, the local mayor said the president was less than impressed with his security team.

SOUNDBITE: CHRASTAVA MAYOR MICHAEL CANOV SAYING (Czech):

"I heard the president say to his bodyguards, 'You didn't react very well' or something like that."

The attacker walked away from the scene before being detained by police.

SOUNDBITE: MAN WHO ATTACKED PRESIDENT, PAVEL ONDROUS, SAYING (Czech):

"I think it's an adequate expression of my feelings, even though someone could call it extreme. I think it is extreme when the government forces a third of the nation into hunger."

Despite the attack, the 71-year-old president appeared defiant.

SOUNDBITE: PRESIDENT VACLAV KLAUS SAYING (Czech):

"I would have hit him back, but there wasn't a chance."

Klaus finishes his second and final term as president in March.