Ten convicted over transphobic cyber harassment of Brigitte Macron
A Paris court ruled that the group deliberately circulated untrue claims suggesting France’s first lady is a transgender woman
By Callum Wells
10 people have been found guilty for the cyber harassment campaign that falsely targeted France’s first lady, Brigitte Macron.
A Paris court today (5 January) ruled that the group, made up of eight men and two women, deliberately circulated untrue claims suggesting that Brigitte is a transgender woman.
Central to the campaign was the repeated assertion that she had originally been named Jean-Michel Trogneux, which is the name of her older brother. The court found the allegations to be knowingly false and designed to cause reputational harm.
The court concluded that the posts went far beyond criticism and instead amounted to targeted harassment
The conspiracy theory has circulated widely online in recent years and has become one of the most persistent false narratives attached to her husband Emmanuel Macron‘s presidency. While much of the online speculation has been framed by its promoters as political commentary, the court concluded that the posts went far beyond criticism and instead amounted to targeted harassment.
Prosecutors told the court that many of the messages focused explicitly on Macron’s gender and sexuality. Some went further, attempting to weaponise the 24-year age difference between her and Emmanuel by comparing their relationship to “paedophilia”. Judges ruled that this language was degrading, malicious and defamatory.
Those convicted were handed suspended prison sentences of up to eight months. The ruling also allows for further penalties, including court-ordered awareness measures designed to address online abuse and cyber-harassment.
The Macrons are also pursuing a separate defamation lawsuit against right-wing influencer Candace Owens
The Macrons are also pursuing a separate defamation lawsuit in the United States against right-wing influencer and podcaster Candace Owens. The presidential couple allege Owens has repeatedly promoted the same false claims about Brigitte Macron’s gender across her online platforms.
Owens has publicly denied wrongdoing and has continued to repeat the allegations. She has previously told followers she would “stake [her] entire professional reputation on the fact that Brigitte is in fact a man”, adding that she will see the Macrons “in court”.
The narrative has circulated internationally since at least 2021, resurfacing during moments of political tension in France. Brigitte has rarely addressed the allegations publicly. However, members of her family have previously described the impact of the harassment on her wellbeing and on those close to her, including her grandchildren.
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