Trial opens for 10 accused of online harassment of Brigitte Macron

Judge says defendants caused ‘deterioration’ successful Brigitte Macron’s ‘physical and intelligence health’.

Ten radical person gone connected proceedings successful a Paris tribunal charged with online harassment of French First Lady Brigitte Macron, the latest lawsuit linked to unsubstantiated claims astir her gender.

The defendants – 8 men and 2 women, aged 41 to 60 – basal accused of cyber-harassment aft targeting the archetypal woman with claims that she is simply a transgender pistillate who was calved a antheral and referring to her 24-year property spread with French President Emmanuel Macron arsenic “paedophilia”.

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The proceedings comes aft the Macrons, who were not contiguous arsenic the two-day proceedings opened connected Monday, filed a defamation lawsuit successful the United States astatine the extremity of July.

The main justice said the defendants – whose posts rapidly gained traction online, racking up tens of thousands of views – had caused a “deterioration” successful the archetypal lady’s “physical and intelligence health”.

Seven of the defendants were successful tribunal connected Monday, portion 3 others were being represented by their lawyers.

Delphine Jegousse, 51, known arsenic Amandine Roy, who describes herself arsenic a mean and an author, is considered to person played a large relation successful spreading the rumour astir the archetypal lady’s sex aft she released a four-hour video connected her YouTube transmission successful 2021.

Also among the defendants is Aurelien Poirson-Atlan, 41, known arsenic Zoe Sagan connected societal media, who is often linked with conspiracy mentation circles and who saw his X relationship suspended past year.

Others see an elected official, a teacher and a machine scientist.

The Macrons person for years been dogged by conspiracy theories that Brigitte, 72, was calved a antheral named Jean-Michel Trogneux, who supposedly past took the sanction Brigitte arsenic a transgender woman.

Delphine Jegousse, besides known arsenic Amandine Roy, speaks to the property earlier her proceedings with 9 different persons accused of sexist cyber-harassment of Brigitte Macron, successful Paris, October 27, 2025 [Guillaume Baptiste/AFP]

Jean-Michel Trogneux is the sanction of Brigitte’s brother. The brace won a defamation suit against Jegousse and different pistillate who were sentenced by a Paris tribunal to fines and damages for spreading the claims.

A Paris appeals tribunal overturned the ruling successful July. Brigitte and her member person since turned to France’s highest tribunal to entreaty that decision.

The claims person been amplified by far-right and conspiracy theorist circles successful France, but besides successful the United States, wherever transgender rights person go a premier people successful US civilization wars.

The Macrons’ lawyer successful the US lawsuit said the mates would beryllium seeking “substantial” damages from blimpish influencer Candace Owens, whose YouTube transmission has astir 4.5 cardinal subscribers, if she persists with claims that Brigitte is simply a man.

A verdict successful the Paris lawsuit volition apt beryllium issued astatine a aboriginal date.