A Paris court on Monday convicted 10 people of cyberbullying France’s first lady, Brigitte Macron, after they spread viral falsehoods claiming she is a transgender woman who was born male.
Brigitte and President Emmanuel Macron have long been targeted by these rumors, which include the false claim that she was born "Jean-Michel Trogneux"—the name of her actual older brother. While the couple largely ignored such attacks for years, they have recently begun a series of aggressive legal challenges.
The ruling marks a significant victory as the Macrons pursue a separate defamation lawsuit in the United States against influencer Candace Owens, who has amplified similar claims.
The defendants—eight men and two women—were found guilty of posting malicious comments about Brigitte Macron’s gender and sexuality. Some even equated the 24-year age difference between the first lady and her husband to "pedophilia."
Sentences ranged from mandatory cyber-harassment awareness courses to prison time. One defendant received a six-month jail sentence, while others were given suspended terms of up to eight months. Additionally, five were banned from the social media platforms where the harassment occurred.
The verdict arrives amid heightening transatlantic tension over digital speech. The Trump administration has characterized European efforts to curb disinformation as censorship. Last month, Washington imposed visa bans on several Europeans involved in combating online hate, including former EU Commissioner Thierry Breton.
Several defendants argued their posts were "satire," a defense the court rejected. Bertrand Scholler, a gallery owner sentenced to a six-month suspended term, vowed to appeal. "Freedom of speech no longer exists," he told reporters.
Speaking to TF1 on Sunday, Brigitte Macron defended the litigation as a necessary stand for others. She described the harassment as "endless" and noted that attackers had even hacked her government identity files.
"A birth certificate is not nothing," she said. "I want to help adolescents fight against harassment. If I do not set an example, it will be difficult."
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