A French court has slammed ten individuals guilty of cyberbullying First Lady Brigitte Macron. They spread false, transphobic rumours online, claiming she was born male. When caught, they tried to brush off their hate posts as “humour or satire.”
Conspiracy Theories Fueled by Age Gap
The guilty ten—eight men and two women aged 41 to 60—peddled vile lies about Mrs Macron, 72. Some twisted the couple’s 24-year age gap to hint at paedophilia, fuelling nasty conspiracy theories.
“Their posts targeted the First Lady’s gender and sexuality with malicious and transphobic content,” said French prosecutors.
“Just a Joke”? Defendants Fail to Fly
Defendants claimed their online rants were “light-hearted satire.” Others acted shocked at facing criminal charges over Facebook and Twitter abuse. But the court wasn’t having it.
For the record: Emmanuel Macron met Brigitte when he was just 15 and she was his 39-year-old drama teacher. They tied the knot in 2007 after he’d left school and ended a previous marriage.
France Takes a Stand Against Online Hate
This landmark case tests France’s tough defamation and cyberbullying laws protecting public figures. Judges made it clear: “humour” won’t shield you from spreading lies.
The ruling sends a warning loud and clear—smear campaigns and bogus rumours won’t be tolerated. It also sets a European precedent for cracking down on gender identity abuse online.
Sentences are still under wraps, but offenders face big fines or jail time. The message? Hate on social media comes at a price, especially against women in the spotlight.
