French court tries ex-bosses of Ubisoft over sex harassment
Three former top executives from French video game giant Ubisoft, the maker of "Assassin's Creed" and "Far Cry", went on trial on Monday accused of psychologically and sexually harassing employees for years.
The trial, to last until Friday, was supposed to be held in March but was adjourned after lawyers complained they received some documents too late.
The industry has been scrutinised for years over its treatment of women and minorities in the workplace -- and the way they are depicted in games.
Ubisoft launched an internal inquiry in 2020 after anonymous testimonies emerged on social media accusing the company of a toxic work culture.
Several senior executives later left the firm.
The executive shake-up at Ubisoft was hailed by some as a #Metoo moment in the male-dominated video game publishing industry, which has faced criticism for misogynistic imagery often found in games.
One of the accused, Serge Hascoet, resigned from his post as chief creative officer.
The other two -- Thomas "Tommy" Francois, vice-president of editorial and creative services, and game director Guillaume Patrux -- were dismissed for serious misconduct.
All three men deny the claims.
Hascoet and Francois arrived at the Bobigny court outside Paris on Monday morning.
Employees had complained of regular public humiliation and hazing.
Francois is the focus of the most damning claims of systematic psychological and sexual harassment at the company's offices in the eastern Paris suburb of Montreuil.
Between January 2012 and July 2020, Francois is alleged to have often watched pornographic films in the open-plan office and commented on the appearance of female employees.
- Headstand in a skirt -
Francois was also accused of forcing a young employee he had just hired to do a headstand in the open-plan office while wearing a skirt.
He is also accused of tying the same woman to a chair and putting her in an elevator, sending her to another floor.
He also allegedly forced her to attend a work meeting after he painted her face with a felt-tip pen.
In addition to the accusations of sexual and psychological harassment, Francois is being prosecuted for an attempted sexual assault when he tried to forcibly kiss a young employee during a Christmas party as she was held by other colleagues.
According to an investigative report seen by AFP, Francois encouraged "his subordinates to act in the same way".
Hascoet is accused of lewd behaviour and posing intrusive questions of a sexual nature, as well as racist comments and behaviour.
Following deadly jihadist attacks in Paris in 2015, he allegedly asked a Muslim employee if she agreed with the ideas of the Islamic State group.
The woman had her computer desktop background changed to images of bacon sandwiches and food was placed on her desk during the Islamic fasting month of Ramadan.
The third defendant, former game director Patrux, 39, has been accused of psychological harassment.
Investigators spoke to dozens of witnesses during the probe, but "many refused to file a complaint for fear of reactions from the video game community," according to the report seen by AFP.
amb-bur/ah/sjw/jxb
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Miami Herald
43 minutes ago
- Miami Herald
Boss told cops to ‘keep an eye on' Muslim worker during prayer, MN suit says
A former employee of a Minnesota transportation agency said religious discrimination and retaliation forced him to leave his job, according to a lawsuit. The complaint — filed June 3 on behalf of Jihad Hamoud, a practicing Muslim — accuses regional planning agency Met Council of disciplining and humiliating him. It says that came after he reported faith-based discrimination, including one occasion where a supervisor directed police to 'keep an eye on' him while he prayed. A spokesperson for Met Council in Saint Paul told McClatchy News in a June 6 email they do not comment on ongoing litigation. 'With its power and resources, Met Council should be setting the standard for what an inclusive and respectful workplace looks like,' Naomi Martin, Hamoud's attorney, said in a June 5 news release. 'That starts with ensuring discrimination and retaliation have no place in its operations — especially by those in supervisory roles.' The lawsuit comes as the state of Minnesota continues to see increases in instances of anti-Muslim hate, attorneys said. Religious discrimination experiences According to the complaint, Hamoud was hired as a bus operator at the agency in 2010 and then transferred to facilities maintenance in 2019. He began recording his experiences after attorneys said he watched a Muslim co-worker experience retaliation by his supervisor. A supervisor made a negative comment directed at Muslim workers, blaming them for making a bathroom dirty during their prayer time, according to the complaint. When Hamoud told his supervisor Muslims are not allowed to pray in restrooms, he didn't apologize or correct his assumption, the complaint said. Hamoud also recorded multiple instances of discrimination with one janitor, according to the complaint. After reporting his experiences, Hamoud was placed on administrative leave, but the janitor continued working, attorneys said. Then, his managers told him to avoid the janitor when he got back to work, according to the complaint. But when Hamoud passed the janitor in a vehicle driven by another worker, his managers accused him of trying to intimidate the janitor, the complaint said. He was then told in a meeting with managers he would be placed on unpaid leave for five days, attorneys said. When he asked why he was being placed on leave, the managers did not say, according to the complaint. Hamoud was then escorted out of the office building by police, according to the complaint. 'This caused Hamoud great emotional distress, including feeling fearful, embarrassed, degraded, humiliated, disrespected, vilified, and discriminated against,' attorneys said. Despite ongoing emails to Met Council leadership after returning to work and continuing to experience religious discrimination, the agency didn't do anything to address it, according to the complaint. Hamoud resigned in May 2022 and filed a discrimination charge against the agency with the Minnesota Department of Human Rights, according to the complaint. The commissioner concluded there was probable cause of retaliation and discrimination against Hamoud twice, in November and January, attorneys said. The complaint asks for monetary compensation for 'lost earnings and benefits, emotional distress, embarrassment, humiliation, and other compensatory damages.' Anti-Muslim discrimination in Minnesota For the past three years, Minnesota has led the country in reported attacks against mosques, according to a report by the Council on American-Islamic Relations. There were 15 recorded incidents targeting mosques in the state in 2024, three times higher than the next highest state for reported attacks, according to the report. Several acts of vandalism, intimidation and discrimination were also reported in the state, the report said.
New York Post
an hour ago
- New York Post
D-Day veterans gather in Normandy to mark 81st anniversary of pivotal WWII moment
COLLEVILLE-SUR-MER, France — Veterans gathered Friday in Normandy to mark the 81st anniversary of the D-Day landings — a pivotal moment of World War II that eventually led to the collapse of Adolf Hitler's regime. Along the coastline and near the D-Day landing beaches, tens of thousands of onlookers attended the commemorations, which included parachute jumps, flyovers, remembrance ceremonies, parades, and historical reenactments. Many were there to cheer the ever-dwindling number of surviving veterans in their late 90s and older. 7 Attendees share a laugh with 102-year-old WWII and D-Day Landing US veteran Jake Larson, also known as 'Papa Jake', before the memorial ceremony. AFP via Getty Images All remembered the thousands who died. U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth commemorated the anniversary of the D-Day landings, in which American soldiers played a leading role, with veterans at the American Cemetery overlooking the shore in the village of Colleville-sur-Mer. French Minister for the Armed Forces Sébastien Lecornu told Hegseth that France knows what it owes to its American allies and the veterans who helped free Europe from the Nazis. 'We don't forget that our oldest allies were there in this grave moment of our history. I say it with deep respect in front of you, veterans, who incarnate this unique friendship between our two countries,' he said. Hegseth said France and the United States should be prepared to fight if danger arises again, and that 'good men are still needed to stand up.' 'Today the United States and France again rally together to confront such threats,' he said, without mentioning a specific enemy. 'Because we strive for peace, we must prepare for war and hopefully deter it.' 7 American reinforcements land on Omaha beach during the Normandy D-Day landings near Vierville sur Mer, France, on June 6, 1944. REUTERS 7 The first wave of troops at Normandy beach taking cover behind enemy obstacles in 1944. AP The June 6, 1944, D-Day invasion of Nazi-occupied France used the largest-ever armada of ships, troops, planes and vehicles to breach Hitler's defenses in western Europe. A total of 4,414 Allied troops were killed on D-Day itself. In the ensuing Battle of Normandy, 73,000 Allied forces were killed and 153,000 wounded. The battle — and especially Allied bombings of French villages and cities — killed around 20,000 French civilians between June and August 1944. 7 Larson meets attendees of the memorial celebration. AP 7 Military flyover at D-Day anniversary ceremony in Normandy June 6, 2025. AFP via Getty Images The exact number of German casualties is unknown, but historians estimate between 4,000 and 9,000 men were killed, wounded or missing during the D-Day invasion alone. Nearly 160,000 Allied troops landed on D-Day. Of those, 73,000 were from the U.S. and 83,000 from Britain and Canada. 7 Soldiers wading ashore from a landing craft on June 6th, 1944. AP 7 U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth wears socks showing the American flag during the ceremony. AP Forces from several other countries were also involved, including French troops fighting with Gen. Charles de Gaulle. The Allies faced around 50,000 German forces. More than 2 million Allied soldiers, sailors, pilots, medics and other people from a dozen countries were involved in the overall Operation Overlord, the battle to wrest western France from Nazi control that started on D-Day.
The Hill
an hour ago
- The Hill
Illinois Republican mistakes Sikh for Muslim, calls him delivering prayer in House ‘deeply troubling'
Rep. Mary Miller (R-Ill.) said it was 'deeply disturbing' that a Sikh delivered a prayer in the House chamber on Friday — after apparently mistaking him for a Muslim man. The since-deleted post Friday morning sparked immediate bipartisan criticism. 'It's deeply troubling that a Muslim was allowed to lead prayer in the House of Representatives this morning. This should never have been allowed to happen,' Miller said in a post on X. 'America was founded as a Christian nation, and I believe our government should reflect that truth, not drift further from it. May God have mercy!' She attached a photo of the guest chaplain, who was wearing a yellow turban, leading the customary prayer that occurs every day at the opening of the House floor. But the guest chaplain was not a Muslim, but a Sikh: Giani Surinder Singh of Gurdwara South Jersey Sikh Society in Vineland, N.J. Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), who opened the floor, had introduced the guest chaplain. Miller later edited her post on X to replace 'Muslim' with 'Sikh' before deleting the post altogether. Her office did not respond to a request for comment about the incident. The House has long welcomed guest chaplains from many types of faiths — including Muslims, with a Muslim guest chaplain notably reading from the Quran in November 2001 following the 9/11 terror attacks. Members of Congress regularly invite guest chaplains to deliver prayers Miller's post sparked bipartisan condemnation. Rep. David Valadao (R-Calif.) said on X he was 'troubled' by the post. 'Throughout the country—and in the Central Valley— Sikh-Americans are valued and respected members of our communities, yet they continue to face harassment and discrimination.' 'While yes, we are a nation rooted in Judeo-Christian values and our laws reflect that, we are also a nation that recognizes we are all God's children and whatever our differences, we can and should respect differences of faith,' added Rep. Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.) in another post commenting on Miller's post. Democrats, meanwhile, went much further in their criticism. 'Our country was founded on the Constitution – which happens to care enough about freedom of religion that it's in the very first amendment,' Rep. Veronica Escobar (D-Texas) said in a post responding to Miller. 'Not only is this racist, it dishonors the 'founding document' you referenced.' Singh, during his prayer, had called for peace. 'Almighty God …. We call you by many names, sir. But you are one. Keep your devine hand over the members of this House … Keep truth on our tongues, sir, love in our hearts, and sound judgement in our minds. Remind us, sir, of our purpose: To love and serve one another and create a more peaceful world. We ask you for blessings unto all leaders, sir, and their work for the common good. Give all who govern this land humility and courage, integrity and compassion,' Singh said. 'Help us remember that we belong to one family.' 'We ask for the almighty also to keep watch over our nation's protectors who work tirelessly day and night to ensure our safety and our freedom,' Singh also said.
