On this day, 64 years ago, on September 8, 1961 (July 29, 1961 in the lunar calendar), a plot to assassinate Charles de Gaulle occurred in Paris. On the evening of September 8, 1961, French President Charles de Gaulle narrowly avoided an attempt to assassinate him. He was driving in Paris to his country house in Colombe. An explosive device detonated improperly set a wall of fire on a rural road, but failed to detonate the nine-pound plastic explosive. An unidentified young man was arrested nearby. He has ties to a militant right-wing group. The group opposed Charles de Gaulle's policies in Algeria. After the incident, de Gaulle immediately stopped and got out of the car to check if anyone in his accompanying car was injured. He said the botched assassination plot could only be a "boring joke."