Paris court tries five men accused of cyberbullying DJ Barbara Butch after Paris 2024 performance

A court case following a wave of online abuse

On Thursday, September 25, 2025, five men aged between 24 and 57 appeared before the Paris judicial court, accused of taking part in a targeted cyberbullying campaign against French DJ Barbara Butch. Known for her presence in the Parisian LGBT+ nightlife scene, the artist was subjected to a flood of online abuse, including insults and death threats, following her performance at the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summer Olympic Games.

Abuse followed her Olympic appearance

The incidents in question took place from July 26 to July 30, 2024 — just days after the Olympic opening ceremony. Some of the defendants are also being prosecuted for issuing threats via online platforms. All five face legal action for their involvement in this digital hate campaign.

An artistic performance heavily criticized

During the ceremony, Barbara Butch performed on the Debilly footbridge over the Seine, sharing the stage with drag queens, fashion models, and singer Philippe Katerine, who appeared painted blue and partially unclothed. The performance, titled “Festivité”, drew backlash from conservative and far-right circles, who likened it to a mockery of The Last Supper, the iconic painting by Leonardo da Vinci depicting the final meal of Christ and his disciples.

Event director Thomas Jolly rejected claims of religious provocation, clarifying that the scene was meant to celebrate “a grand pagan festival invoking the gods of Olympus”, rather than ridicule religious imagery.

A flood of online harassment

The DJ received thousands of hateful messages on social media, prompting her to file a police complaint three days after the show. Openly lesbian and a known feminist advocate, Barbara Butch later took to Instagram, describing the incident as “yet another — especially violent — case of cyberbullying” targeting her identity and public visibility.

Her lawyer, Audrey Msellati, emphasized to AFP that the artist embodies “a powerful message of resilience: her right to exist and to claim space in public life without apology”.

A symbolic trial aiming for awareness and precedent

Barbara Butch is attending the hearing, viewing it as an important opportunity to raise awareness about the real-world impact of online abuse. Her attorney stressed the need to highlight the emotional and psychological damage caused by digital attacks, often trivialized in public discourse and hidden “behind screens”.

Other artists also targeted

Barbara Butch wasn’t the only target of online hate following the Olympic ceremony. Artistic director Thomas Jolly was also bombarded with threatening messages. In a separate legal decision last May, seven individuals were sentenced to fines and suspended prison terms for a similar involvement in online harassment linked to the same event.