Four men were sentenced to four months in prison suspended for ten months on Friday, November 21 for cyber-harassing French DJ Barbara Butch following her participation in the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics.
All four defendants were convicted of online harassment and threats of violence, sentences imposed generally in line with prosecutors’ requirements. The Paris criminal court, however, acquitted the fifth man, and found that the elements constituting the offense were absent in his case.
Hateful messages flooded the artist after the opening ceremony of the Olympics, on July 26 2024. On the Debilly footbridge spanning the Seine, Barbara Butch – stage name – appeared on the deck surrounded by drag queens, model and singer Philippe Katerine, almost naked and painted blue. The painting, entitled “Festivity,” aroused the ire of conservatives and the right wing, who interpreted it as a parody of Last Supper da Vinci.
The ceremony’s artistic director, Thomas Jolly, denied any desire to shock and explained that he wanted to represent a “a great pagan festival associated with the gods of Olympus”nod “Olympism”.
Agoraphobia and antidepressants
Openly lesbian musician, feminist activist Barbara Butch said at a Sept. 25 hearing that she had “only want (S)‘bury and disappear at that moment’. He explained that he suffered from agoraphobia and psoriasis following the incident and had since taken antidepressants. Her partner testified before the court about the rape threats she also received.
Attorney Barbara Butch, Me Audrey Msellati was adamant about the consequences for the health of her client, who suffered from insomnia and nightmares for months, gained 30 kilograms and no longer dared to leave her house.
Students, fathers, caregivers… The defendants present all admitted to having sent the messages, but they were not threatening or harassing. Several people explained that they were affected “religious parody”.
Only one of them, who did not appear at the trial, was sentenced to prison. “not suitable for development”said the chairman of the court when reading the verdict, with a highlight “very serious action”. It’s about “massive digital violence that is easier to commit than to dematerialize”the judge further emphasized.
Other artists involved in the Olympic opening ceremony have experienced cyber harassment, including Thomas Jolly. Seven people were convicted in May for sending him hate messages.
