The French president is officially taking legal action against a photographer who took holiday snaps of him and his wife against his will this week.

Emmanuel Macron is currently enjoying his summer holiday and has been spotted in Marsielle the past few days, but is claiming a photographer has invaded his privacy and has now lodged a legal complaint.

Macron – unlike his presidential predecessors – has become known for keeping the press at arm’s length since his election back in May. Despite his wishes, it emerged where exactly he was due to be staying, which has led to one photographer following the president and his wife against their wishes.

The French government are quoted as describing the photographer to have trailed the pair “on several occasions despite repeat warnings from security staff, and sometimes did so in a risky and perilous manner.” The photographer is also reported to have entered the couple’s private property with the intention of taking more images.

View this post on Instagram #BriBriFirstLady Un couple qui nous fait rêver! A découvrir dans @ellefr avec une interview exclusive de Brigitte Macron #brigittemacron #bribrifirstlady #bribri #emmanuelmacron #couple #love #truelove #togetherisbetter #togetherisstronger #france #franceisback #ellemagazine A post shared by Brigitte Macron (@brigittemacronfanpage) on Aug 17, 2017 at 10:38am PDT

Exact details on the photographer himself remain unclear, although an extract from VSD newspaper quotes him as claiming he had been “treated like a criminal”, and describing the police’s actions as “totally illegal” after they searched through both his memory cards and computer.

“The police searched through all my gear, my bags… I even had to remove my shoelaces and my watch,” he told the paper.

[via Telegraph]