AKIPRESS.COM - President Emmanuel Macron has come under fire for posing for a photograph with a two young men during his visit to the Caribbean last week - one of whom made a rude gesture, and the other who is a convicted robber, Daily Mail reports.

The photo sparked social media outrage, with far-right leader Marine Le Pen calling it 'unforgivable', while more mainstream critics settling for 'embarrassing'.

President Macron however remained defiant, stating that he loved 'every child of the Republic, whatever stupidities they commit'.

The incident took place just a few months after he chastised a French teenager for greeting him as 'Manu' - a common nickname for Emmanuel - instead of 'Sir' or 'Mr President'.

The photo, taken on Saturday, shows Macron smiling widely, while the topless man on the left is showing his middle finger to the camera.

The man on the right, seen wearing a bandana, had told Macron that he had recently been released from prison after serving time for robbery.

Macron told him he should leave his criminal past behind - 'the robberies are over' - and start anew by helping rebuild his island in the wake of the hurricane.

After being attacked for the photograph, Macron told a press conference he refused to do a mea culpa.