Ten individuals have gone on trial in Paris, accused of carrying out an online harassment campaign against Brigitte Macron, the First Lady of France. The proceedings mark the latest chapter in an ongoing legal fight spanning both France and the United States over false claims suggesting that Brigitte Macron was born male. In July, President Emmanuel Macron and his wife filed a defamation lawsuit in the United States over what they described as false and damaging allegations promoted by right-wing commentator Candace Owens. The lawsuit accused Owens of spreading baseless rumors that Brigitte Macron, now 72, was originally a man named Jean-Michel Trogneux. The Macrons argued that these lies amounted to a campaign of global humiliation and relentless bullying. The Paris trial, however, is separate from the US case. It stems from a complaint filed by Brigitte Macron in 2024, focusing specifically on online harassment. The defendants eight men and two women between the ages of 41 and 60 are charged with posting or sharing malicious comments and conspiracy theories about the French First Lady. If convicted, they face up to two years in prison.
Ten on Trial in Paris for Online Harassment Targeting Brigitte Macron
Prosecutors said the defendants repeatedly mocked Brigitte Macron’s gender and sexuality, and some even likened her age difference with President Macron to paedophilia. The court heard that Brigitte Macron told investigators the online attacks were deeply hurtful, particularly for her grandchildren who had to endure seeing such claims about their grandmother. One of the accused, a 49-year-old IT worker named Jérôme A, admitted reposting multiple social media posts about Brigitte Macron but described them as jokes made in a sarcastic spirit. He told the court that his Twitter account was small and that he never intended harm. He added that as a public figure, the First Lady should accept criticism. Prosecutors countered that his behavior crossed the line into harassment.
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Another defendant, identified as Jérôme C, a debt adviser, also claimed his posts were made in humor, saying he often commented online from home in the evenings. He argued that he was only trying to inform others about circulating rumors but denied that he harassed anyone. Among the accused are publicist Aurélien Poirson-Atlan, known online as Zoé Sagan and linked to conspiracy circles, and Delphine J, a self-described spiritual medium. Delphine J had previously posted a four-hour interview with YouTuber Natacha Rey in 2021, where both alleged that Brigitte Macron had once been a man. Though the pair were initially found guilty of defamation, their conviction was overturned on appeal in 2024. The Macrons have since appealed the decision to France’s highest court. Brigitte Macron’s personal life has long been a topic of public fascination. She first met Emmanuel Macron when she was a teacher at his school in Amiens, and the two developed a close intellectual bond. The couple married in 2007, a year after her divorce from her first husband, and have remained a prominent pair in French public life despite constant online scrutiny.
Source reference:The Gurdian
