Artistic director Thomas Jolly and several artists who were part of the Paris Olympics 2024's opening ceremony have lodged a complaint against hate messages and death threats received on social networks.
The Opening Ceremony was watched by 24.43 million viewers (including replay) in France. One of its "kitsch" parts, however, generated huge controversy and an online campaign of hate and harassment aimed at artistic director Thomas Jolly and a number of artists.
Almost two hours into the show, rapper Rim'K, one of the founders of the group 113, ended his performance with the track King. Then it's time for the "Queens". On the Passerelle Debilly, the tableau in question is opened in the pouring rain by DJ Barbara Butch, silver finery on her head. She mimes a heart with her hands in front of the world's cameras and launches her set with Ça balance pas mal à Paris (France Gall and Michel Berger). As the shot widens, zooming out, we discover her surrounded by several drag-queens. " It's both a banquet and a gigantic cat-walk (catwalk) ," comments Daphné Bürki, director of styling and costumes, as a fashion show with several models gets underway at the same time.
This sequence was badly received by the French Bishops' Conference, which deplored "scenes of derision and mockery of Christianity". Far-right MEP Marion Maréchal (ex-Reconquête) saw "a drag-queen parody of the Last Supper". The Last Supper wasn't my inspiration," retorted Jolly. The idea was rather to make a great pagan feast linked to the gods of Olympus... Olympus... Olympism."
At the end of this extravagant sequence, just after the passage of the French delegation's boat under the footbridge, it's the apotheosis: after an ode to Europe - "United in diversity" - appears on the podium the bearded and hairy-torsoed drag-queen Piche, who enhances her performance with a roaring crawl on the red carpet. Barbara Butch's eclectic soundtrack plays in a giant nightclub atmosphere. Then it was the turn of star Nicky Doll (on the track I Had a Dream), the only Frenchwoman to have taken part in the American show RuPaul's Drag Race. Before Philippe Katerine wraps things up, "in the guise of Dyonisos, the god of wine" (Bürki), with his track Nu, again surrounded by dancers and drag-queens.
All in all, an incomparable international exposure of almost fifty minutes of this free-spirited queer tableau. Thierry Reboul confirms that the length of Thomas Jolly's show was both planned and respected in its conception. "The tableau was long because there were a lot of delegation boats to get through," explains the executive director of ceremonies for Paris 2024. This emphasis was not without consequences for the artists.
"We've never seen so many hate messages on social networks," says Terrence Khatchadourian, Secretary General of Stop Homophobie, who counted "17,000 reports made" between July 26 and 31 - compared with an average of 750 per day before the opening ceremony - and whose association has filed a civil suit in the Nicky Doll case.
The Drag Race France presenter lodged a complaint on August 2 "for acts of public defamation committed on the grounds of sexual orientation or gender identity" against former British actor Laurence Fox, now an anti-woke activist, and the authors or accomplices. He had, among other things, compared drag-queens to "child fuckers" or "deviant little paedophiles".
Until then, she'd never wanted to take legal action, even though she's unfortunately used to being insulted," explains her lawyer, Anne-Sophie Laguens. But now we've reached proportions never seen before. Over and above the death threats, there's this confusion between paedophilia - which is a criminal offence - and the art of drag. This is no longer acceptable, and that's what she wants to intervene on." Nicky Doll is following the proceedings from the United States, where she is currently on tour. She made a return trip to Paris between two shows to take part in the opening ceremony.
Before her, Thomas Jolly had filed a complaint last week for "death threats due to origin, death threats due to sexual orientation, public insult due to origin, public insult due to sexual orientation and defamation". Barbara Butch has filed a complaint for aggravated cyberstalking, aggravated insult and death threats. Her lawyer, Audrey Msellati, explains: "We are assessing whether it would be appropriate to also file a complaint for defamation after analyzing the accounts that are very popular on X (ex-Twitter)."
The Stop Homophobie association also wants to join the DJ as a civil party, because "they need support", says Terrence Khatchadourian. "We realized that when there was no association to support complaints, they were rarely taken into account," he continues. Barbara Butch is an LGBT activist who has been assaulted for years. If she took the time to lodge a complaint, and even speak out, it's because it was becoming impossible."
Thierry Reboul also filed a complaint on Monday morning, for "death threats" at the headquarters of the judicial police. The raid also affected the Ubi Bene agency, of which Reboul is the ex-president and founder. A "collateral damage", according to him: Alexandre Billard, deputy managing director of this events agency, also lodged a complaint, even though he is "neither closely nor remotely associated with the Games".
On behalf of Paris 2024, Tony Estanguet "condemns all these threats and harassment against Thomas and the artists". There is no reason to justify such a wave of criticism and harassment," continued the Cojop president. Thomas Jolly has reiterated his desire to bring people together. If some people felt offended, we're sorry, but we give our full support to the ceremony team."
The intimidation and "wave of hatred" began long before the opening ceremony. Minima Gesté had already been a victim in May. " I was chosen to carry the flame on July 14, and a wave of hateful messages descended on me following an interview with Marion Maréchal on TF1's morning show at the beginning of May", recounts the artist. She was supported by Paris City Hall and filed a complaint. Three of the perpetrators were identified and summoned by the courts," she continues. The messages had calmed down a bit, but they've flared up again since the opening ceremony. I need to cut it all off."
The "This is Drag" festival, scheduled to take place at the Trianon and L'Élysée-Montmartre on July 6 and 7, had been cancelled by its organizers due to the "uncertain political context". The festival had been scheduled for the weekend of the second round of early legislative elections, with the spectre - finally averted - of an absolute RN majority in the National Assembly. " There were no direct threats, but there was a fear for the safety of the public and the artists", explains drag queen Jessica Triss (her stage name), organizer of the event.
Producers of the 2024 Olympics opening ceremony file a complaint for death threats
She was euphoric about the ceremony and the famous tableau, particularly when those drag-queens in rosaries and DJ Barbara Butch appeared on screen, the target of a cyber-harassment blending homophobia, anti-Semitism and grossophobia. We're not going to hide," continues Jessica Triss. In the community, people have fought for years to come out of the closet, so it's not to go back in because of a few threats."
"I used to be able to take a lot, but I thought it was important to send a message," Nicky Doll tells us from the States. "I decided to mark the occasion by showing that if we fight every day for our rights, to be respected in the public square, we have to use them." According to our information, Piche and Paloma, two artists featured in the painting and victims of hate messages, do not wish to file a complaint. When contacted, they declined to comment.
(L'Équipe)
