A Paris court on Monday found ten individuals guilty of cyber harassment against France’s First Lady, Brigitte Macron, in the latest legal action over false claims that she is a transgender woman. The eight men and two women, aged 41 to 60, received suspended sentences of up to eight months, according to French media reports.
The defendants had been accused of posting malicious comments online about Mrs. Macron’s gender and sexuality, including linking the 24-year age difference between her and President Emmanuel Macron to “paedophilia.” The false conspiracy theory about her being transgender has circulated for several years, fueling harassment across social media platforms.
Speaking to French broadcaster TF1, Mrs. Macron described the attacks as severe, noting that “people who broke into my tax website and modified my identity” were among the perpetrators. She emphasized the importance of factual records, saying, “A birth certificate is not nothing. It is a father or a mother who goes to declare their child, who says who he is or who she is. I want to help adolescents to fight again.”
The Macrons are also pursuing legal action abroad. In the United States, they have filed a defamation case against influencer Candace Owens, who has propagated similar claims regarding Mrs. Macron’s gender. The ongoing legal measures underscore the couple’s determination to confront harassment and misinformation online.
