Macron verdict proves accountability matters as online mobs spread conspiracies, tactics long weaponized against Jews globally.
A Paris court on Monday convicted ten individuals for a sustained campaign of cyberbullying against France’s First Lady Brigitte Macron, marking a rare but decisive judicial pushback against organized online harassment. The defendants—eight men and two women aged from their early 40s to mid-60s—were found guilty of spreading what judges called “particularly degrading and insulting” falsehoods regarding her gender and sexuality.
The court ruled that the claims—including allegations that Mrs. Macron was born male and insinuations linking the age gap between her and President Emmanuel Macron to pedophilia—were not satire or political criticism, but deliberate attempts to cause harm. Sentences ranged from mandatory cyberbullying awareness programs and temporary social-media bans to suspended prison terms of up to eight months. One defendant, who failed to appear, received a custodial sentence.
Mrs. Macron did not attend the trial but explained in an interview with TF1 that she pursued the case to “set an example” against online abuse. Her daughter, Tiphaine Auzière, testified that the relentless harassment had significantly damaged her mother’s health and family life.
At the center of the case were conspiracy theories falsely claiming Mrs. Macron was born under the name Jean-Michel Trogneux—actually her brother’s name. Her lawyer, Jean Ennochi, stressed that preventive measures were crucial, highlighting the importance of immediate training and platform bans.
The ruling comes as the Macron family also pursues defamation action in the United States against Candace Owens, who repeated similar claims.
Beyond France, the case exposes a broader phenomenon: online conspiracies and dehumanizing lies are now a preferred weapon of extremists. Jews and Israel have endured these tactics for decades—often ignored, excused, or amplified by hostile actors across Europe and the Arab world. France’s verdict sends a clear message: digital mobs are not untouchable, and hate—whatever its target—demands consequences.
