Brigitte Macron suing Corsican couple for mocking her gender identity
What's the story
The tax profile of France's First Lady, Brigitte Macron, was recently hacked to identify her as a man. The profile now reads "Jean-Michel, known as Brigitte Macron." The incident was discovered when she logged into the government tax portal and noticed the change. Her chief of staff, Tristan Bromet, confirmed that this modification was made in a secure area of the online portal, which cannot be altered by regular users.
Legal proceedings
Corsican couple identified and charged
The incident has triggered cross-border lawsuits from Paris to Delaware courts. A formal complaint was filed after the discovery, leading to an investigation into how such a change could have been made in a protected state database. The French tax authority later identified two individuals, Juliette and Laurent A, who had entered the false name as part of a political protest.
Admission of guilt
Legal action against the couple
The Corsican couple later admitted to their actions, with Laurent A. calling it a "stupid and thoughtless joke." Despite their apology, Macron has decided to take legal action against them, viewing the incident as part of a larger pattern of online harassment against her character and family. The documentary that revealed the hacking also delved into fringe theories about Macron's identity, including an unfounded claim that she died decades ago and her brother took over her identity.
Legal defense
Preparing to fight back
Macron's legal team is preparing to fight these claims, arguing they go beyond political commentary into deliberate defamation. Her lawyer, Tom Clare, said they are ready to prove that the allegations against her are false. "We're prepared to demonstrate fully, both generically and specifically, that what she's saying about Brigitte Macron is false," he said.
International lawsuit
Defamation lawsuit against Candace Owens
The Macrons have also filed a defamation lawsuit against US-based commentator Candace Owens in Delaware. The lawsuit accuses Owens of ignoring factual evidence and continuing to "platform known conspiracy theorists and proven defamers." It seeks punitive damages and a jury trial, describing Owens's allegations as "outlandish, defamatory, and far-fetched." In response, Owens has demanded that Brigitte Macron undergo an independent medical examination and release her medical records.
Ongoing trial
Criminal case against 10 people in Paris
In Paris, a separate criminal case is underway against 10 people accused of "sexist cyberbullying" against Brigitte Macron. The defendants include a teacher, an elected official, an art gallery owner, a medium, and a computer scientist. They are charged with spreading misogynistic and defamatory content online about Mrs Macron's age and gender identity. The French government has enhanced laws against "sexist cyber harassment" in response to high-profile cases of online abuse targeting public figures and journalists.