“If there are any ugly bitches, we will throw them out”: the phrase pronounced by Brigitte Macron laughing, to encourage behind the scenes of the Folies Bergères her friend the actor Ary Abittan who confided in her that he was “afraid” of entering the stage, is creating a storm of controversy in France.
The viral video and the previous clash with feminist activists
The video, which went around the web in just a few hours, dates back to Sunday evening, when the première dame, accompanied by her daughter, went to the theater to encourage Ary Abittan, who the night before had been interrupted during his performance by four militants from the feminist collective #noustoutes. The activists accuse him of having raped a girl 4 years ago, even though the trial against him ended with no proceeding.
The political and media storm surrounding the première dame
While the entourage of President Emmanuel Macron’s wife limited themselves to explaining that Brigitte’s words were only “a criticism of the radical method adopted by the militants”, a political and media storm hit the première dame.
The first to react were the members of the feminist collective #noustoutes and in particular one of the protagonists of the interruption at the theatre: “We are deeply shocked and scandalized – she declared – the words used say a lot about her vision of things, the political message is extremely shocking. We spit on the victims and on the feminist associations”.
The Abittan case and the investigation closed
On Saturday evening, together with three other militants wearing masks with the likeness of Ari Abittan and the words “rapist”, they interrupted the show chanting the slogan “Abittan rapist”.
At the end of 2021, the artist was accused by a girl he had been seeing for a few weeks of raping her. After 3 years of investigation, last January the justice system declared the case closed with the decision “no proceeding”.
The plaintiff’s defense and the conclusions of the judiciary
But the actor continued to be targeted by feminist activists. Abittan recalled, through his lawyer Caroline Toby, that “justice has found that I am innocent, after an investigation lasting over 3 years and numerous investigations, appraisals, letters rogatory, interrogations and confrontations”.
For the lawyer, «the 7 magistrates who decided on this case were unanimous on his innocence. The case is closed and there is no reason for Abittan to find himself in this situation.”
Social reactions and new hashtag against the première dame
While the feminist collective launched the hashtag #salesconnes – with the writing on a black background – the reactions rained in: «I’m a bad bitch too. And I’m with all the others”, wrote the actress Judith Godrèche on Instagram, accusing the directors Benoît Jacquot and Jacques Doillon of raping her. Brigitte Macron’s words were “completely out of place and vulgar” for the secretary of the main union, CFDT, Marylise Léon.
Political and social criticism in France
“A première dame shouldn’t say these things,” denounced the leader of the ecologists, Marine Tondelier. Manon Aubry, from La France Insoumise, added “it’s time for the Macron couple to go”. For former president François Hollande, “even if you can criticize the form, when it comes to women fighting against violence committed against other women, you don’t talk that way.”