German ballet director issues apology over feces attack

BERLIN (AP) — A German ballet director has issued a public apology for smearing dog feces on the face of a newspaper critic whose reviews he had taken exception to. Marco Goecke was suspended from his post as ballet chief at the Hannover state opera following the weekend incident. The theater’s management called on him Monday to apologize “comprehensively” and explain himself. Goecke said in a written statement on Tuesday that he wanted to “apologize sincerely” to all concerned, particularly the critic. He said that, in retrospect, he was “clearly aware that this was a disgraceful act in the heat of the moment and an overreaction.”