A Paris tribunal delivered guilty verdicts Monday against ten individuals involved in a cyber-harassment campaign targeting Brigitte Macron, wife of French President Emmanuel Macron. The defendants spread baseless conspiracy theories claiming she was assigned male at birth.
The court proceedings addressed a persistent disinformation campaign that has plagued the presidential couple for years. False narratives suggested Brigitte was born with her older brother’s name, Jean-Michel Trogneux, fundamentally misrepresenting her identity and history.
Sentencing Details
The convicted group—comprising eight men and two women—faced varying penalties reflecting the severity of their online conduct. Their posts contained malicious commentary about the first lady’s gender identity and sexuality, with some making inappropriate comparisons between the couple’s age difference and criminal behavior.
Punishment ranged from immediate incarceration to suspended sentences. One defendant received six months in jail without suspension, while others were handed suspended terms reaching eight months. Additional consequences included monetary penalties and mandatory educational programs focused on cyber-harassment awareness. Five defendants lost their social media privileges on the platforms where they posted offensive content.
Defense Arguments Rejected
Several defendants attempted justifying their actions as satirical expression, an argument the court categorically dismissed. Bertrand Scholler, a 55-year-old gallerist and writer, announced plans to appeal his six-month suspended sentence, expressing dismay at what he characterized as declining free speech protections in France.
“This shows just how far French society is drifting toward less freedom of speech,” Scholler told reporters outside the courthouse, calling the verdict “horrible” and “abominable.”
Broader Context
This verdict represents a significant win for the Macrons, who have recently shifted from ignoring attacks to actively confronting them through legal channels. The couple simultaneously pursues a prominent defamation case in the United States against Candace Owens, a right-wing media personality who amplified similar false claims about Brigitte’s gender identity.
The 24-year age gap between the Macrons has attracted criticism throughout Emmanuel’s political career, though the couple largely avoided responding until recently deciding to challenge the most egregious falsehoods.
International Tensions
The ruling emerges amid growing transatlantic disagreements regarding online speech regulation. The current U.S. administration has characterized European anti-disinformation initiatives as censorship, recently imposing visa restrictions on five Europeans working to combat online hatred and misinformation, including former EU commissioner Thierry Breton.
First Lady’s Response
In a Sunday evening television interview with TF1, Brigitte Macron defended her decision to pursue legal action against online attackers, expressing hope her example would encourage others facing similar abuse. She described the harassment as relentless, revealing that perpetrators even accessed her tax records to alter personal information.
The first lady emphasized the irrefutable nature of official documentation contradicting false claims about her identity. “A birth certificate is not nothing,” she stated, noting it represents a parent’s formal declaration of their child’s identity at birth.
Brigitte connected her legal fight to broader efforts supporting young people confronting online harassment, arguing that failing to take a stand would undermine her advocacy work. “I want to help adolescents to fight against harassment, and if I do not set an example, it will be difficult,” she explained.
The case highlights ongoing challenges surrounding digital harassment, gender-based attacks, and the balance between free expression and protection from malicious falsehoods in the social media age.
