Latest news with #LesNatifs
LeMonde
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- LeMonde
At trial over banner targeting Aya Nakamura, far-right activists stand by their actions
On March 8, 2024, as rumors swirled that Aya Nakamura would headline the Olympic Games opening ceremony, around 15 young far-right activists, members of the group Les Natifs, gathered on Île Saint-Louis in the center of Paris to unfurl a banner hostile to the French-Malian singer: "No way, Aya, this is Paris, not the Bamako market!" The slogan referenced lyrics from one of Nakamura's hits ("Djadja") and her birthplace, the Malian capital. Heirs to the far-right group Génération Identitaire, which was dissolved in 2021, Les Natifs – who have 10,000 followers on Instagram and 19,000 on X – specialize in actions involving hostile posters and banners, often targeting immigration or promoting the defense of "European civilization." Recently, activists plastered portraits of Joan of Arc and Sainte Geneviève over images of veiled women displayed at the Basilica of Saint-Denis, in the northern Paris suburb. Posted on their X account and viewed nearly 4.5 million times, the photo of the anti-Nakamura banner was accompanied by a short text lamenting President Emmanuel Macron's supposed plan: "To replace French elegance with vulgarity, to Africanize our popular songs, and to sideline the native population in favor of extra-European immigration." The message demanded that "France be represented by an artist embodying our heritage, our values and our identity!"
France 24
6 days ago
- Politics
- France 24
Prosecutors seek up to four months sentences in Aya Nakamura racist abuse trial
Thirteen people went on trial in France on Wednesday over a "racist" insult targeting Franco-Malian singer Aya Nakamura, who faced criticism from the far right and harassment over her performance at the Paris Olympics opening ceremony. The defendants, linked to extreme-right group Les Natifs (the Natives), are on trial for a stunt in March 2024 -- after reports the superstar singer would perform at the Olympics -- when they unveiled a banner reading: "No way, Aya, this is Paris, not the Bamako market". It was a reference to Mali's capital, where the 30-year-old singer was born, and her hit song "Djadja". Nakamura's performance at the July 2024 opening ceremony sparked a political firestorm among far-right politicians and conservatives, a reaction French President Emmanuel Macron at the time described as "racist" and "shocking". Les Natifs espouses the far-right, white-nationalist "Great Replacement" conspiracy theory, according to which white Europeans are being deliberately supplanted by non-white immigrants. The 13 defendants, aged between 20 and 31, face charges of publicly inciting hatred or violence -- or complicity in such incitement -- on the grounds of ethnicity, nationality, race or religion. Only three appeared in court, while the remaining 10 were represented by their lawyers. Nakamura was not present at the hearing. The defendants, including the spokesman for Les Natifs, Stanislas T., refused to answer questions, reading a statement to justify their actions. "What is at stake today is the issue of freedom of expression and the independence of the judicial system," said the 24-year-old spokesman, denying the group had insulted Nakamura or incited hatred. According to the activist, the aim was to denounce "a political choice that deliberately sought to promote the dissolution of our ancestral culture". Their lawyers, Mathieu Sassi and Pierre-Vincent Lambert, requested the acquittal of their clients, saying Nakamura had been targeted because of her "vulgarity". Prosecutors requested sentences of up to four months of prison. Nakamura responded to the group's stunt on social media at the time, writing: "You can be racist, but you're not deaf... and that's what really bothers you! I'm suddenly the number one topic of debate -- but what do I really owe you? Nothing." 'Shock public opinion' Nakamura is the world's most listened-to Francophone singer, and her performance on one of Paris's fabled bridges, the Pont des Arts, was among the most-watched moments of the opening ceremony. But when reports began circulating in early 2024 that the Mali- born, Paris-raised superstar was going to perform, far-right politicians and groups vehemently criticised the decision. An appearance by Nakamura, who mixes French with Arabic and Malian slang, would "humiliate" the country, far-right leader Marine Le Pen suggested, taking aim at her supposed "vulgarity" and "the fact that she doesn't sing in French". In March 2024, a dozen members of Les Natifs unfurled the banner targeting Nakamura along the River Seine. They posted a picture of the stunt on social media, and far-right outlets amplified the message. Les Natifs, which has 10,000 followers on Instagram and 19,000 on X, has staged other provocative stunts. In March, the group covered portraits of veiled women on display in a church in the northern Paris suburb of Saint-Denis with black sheets. Two people including Stanislas T. were due to appear in court in connection with that case on Thursday. In February, the activists plastered an Air Algerie office in Paris with posters encouraging people with Algerian roots to "re-migrate". The goal for groups like Les Natifs is to "provoke massive reactions and shock public opinion so we have no choice but to talk about them", said Marion Jacquet-Vaillant, an expert on far-right movements in France. Capucine C., 22, who until March 2025 was a "parliamentary assistant" to three far-right National Rally MPs, was among the accused appearing in court. Nakamura's complaint is not the only one stemming from the opening ceremony to head to trial. A French court in May found seven people guilty of bullying Thomas Jolly, the ceremony's artistic director, who is openly gay. Five people are to stand trial in September over similar complaints from Barbara Butch, a French DJ and lesbian activist who starred in a controversial scene during the ceremony.
Japan Today
6 days ago
- Politics
- Japan Today
13 on trial in France over 'racist' stunt against Olympics singer
By Alain Jean-Robert Thirteen people went on trial in France on Wednesday over a "racist" insult targeting Franco-Malian singer Aya Nakamura, who faced criticism from the far right and harassment over her performance at the Paris Olympics opening ceremony. The defendants, linked to extreme-right group Les Natifs (the Natives), are on trial for a stunt in March 2024 -- after reports the superstar singer would perform at the Olympics -- when they unveiled a banner reading: "No way, Aya, this is Paris, not the Bamako market". It was a reference to Mali's capital, where the 30-year-old singer was born, and her hit song "Djadja". Nakamura's performance at the July 2024 opening ceremony sparked a political firestorm among far-right politicians and conservatives, a reaction French President Emmanuel Macron at the time described as "racist" and "shocking". Les Natifs espouses the far-right, white-nationalist "Great Replacement" conspiracy theory, according to which white Europeans are being deliberately supplanted by non-white immigrants. The 13 defendants, aged between 20 and 31, face charges of publicly inciting hatred or violence -- or complicity in such incitement -- on the grounds of ethnicity, nationality, race or religion. Only three appeared in court, while the remaining 10 were represented by their lawyers. Nakamura was not present at the hearing. The defendants, including the spokesman for Les Natifs, Stanislas T., refused to answer questions, reading a statement to justify their actions. "What is at stake today is the issue of freedom of expression and the independence of the judicial system," said the 24-year-old spokesman, denying the group had insulted Nakamura or incited hatred. According to the activist, the aim was to denounce "a political choice that deliberately sought to promote the dissolution of our ancestral culture". Their lawyers, Mathieu Sassi and Pierre-Vincent Lambert, requested the acquittal of their clients, saying Nakamura had been targeted because of her "vulgarity". Prosecutors requested sentences of up to four months of prison. Nakamura responded to the group's stunt on social media at the time, writing: "You can be racist, but you're not deaf... and that's what really bothers you! I'm suddenly the number one topic of debate -- but what do I really owe you? Nothing." Nakamura is the world's most listened-to Francophone singer, and her performance on one of Paris's fabled bridges, the Pont des Arts, was among the most-watched moments of the opening ceremony. But when reports began circulating in early 2024 that the Mali-born, Paris-raised superstar was going to perform, far-right politicians and groups vehemently criticized the decision. An appearance by Nakamura, who mixes French with Arabic and Malian slang, would "humiliate" the country, far-right leader Marine Le Pen suggested, taking aim at her supposed "vulgarity" and "the fact that she doesn't sing in French". In March 2024, a dozen members of Les Natifs unfurled the banner targeting Nakamura along the River Seine. They posted a picture of the stunt on social media, and far-right outlets amplified the message. Les Natifs, which has 10,000 followers on Instagram and 19,000 on X, has staged other provocative stunts. In March, the group covered portraits of veiled women on display in a church in the northern Paris suburb of Saint-Denis with black sheets. Two people including Stanislas T. were due to appear in court in connection with that case on Thursday. In February, the activists plastered an Air Algerie office in Paris with posters encouraging people with Algerian roots to "re-migrate". The goal for groups like Les Natifs is to "provoke massive reactions and shock public opinion so we have no choice but to talk about them", said Marion Jacquet-Vaillant, an expert on far-right movements in France. Capucine C., 22, who until March 2025 was a "parliamentary assistant" to three far-right National Rally MPs, was among the accused appearing in court. Nakamura's complaint is not the only one stemming from the opening ceremony to head to trial. A French court in May found seven people guilty of bullying Thomas Jolly, the ceremony's artistic director, who is openly gay. Five people are to stand trial in September over similar complaints from Barbara Butch, a French DJ and lesbian activist who starred in a controversial scene during the ceremony. © 2025 AFP
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Thirteen on trial in France over 'racist' stunt targeting singer Aya Nakamura
Thirteen people went on trial in Paris on Wednesday over a "racist" insult targeting Franco-Malian singer Aya Nakamura, who faced criticism from the far right and harassment over her performance at the Paris Olympics opening ceremony. The defendants, linked to extreme-right group Les Natifs (the Natives), are on trial for unveiling a banner in March 2024 that read: "No way, Aya, this is Paris, not the Bamako market" -- a reference to Mali's capital, where the singer was born. Nakamura's performance sparked a political firestorm among far-right politicians and conservatives in a reaction French President Emmanuel Macron at the time described as "racist" and "shocking". The 13 defendants, who are aged between 20 and 31, now face charges of publicly inciting hatred or violence -- or complicity in such incitement -- on the grounds of ethnicity, nationality, race, or religion. Only three appeared in court, while the remaining 10 were represented by their lawyers. Les Natifs espouses the far-right, white nationalist so-called "Great Replacement" conspiracy theory, according to which white Europeans are being deliberately supplanted by non-white immigrants. Nakamura responded to the group's stunt on social media at the time, writing: "You can be racist, but you're not deaf... and that's what really bothers you! I'm suddenly the number one topic of debate -- but what do I really owe you? Nothing." Nakamura was neither present at Wednesday's hearing nor represented by a lawyer. - 'Shock public opinion' - The 30-year-old is the world's most listened to Francophone singer, and her July 2024 performance on one of Paris's fabled bridges, the Pont des Arts, was among the most-watched moments of the opening ceremony. But when rumours began circulating in March that the Mali-born and Paris-raised superstar was going to perform, far-right politicians and groups vehemently criticised the decision. An appearance by Nakamura, who mixes French with Arabic and Malian slang, would "humiliate" the country, far-right leader Marine Le Pen suggested, taking aim at her supposed "vulgarity" and "the fact that she doesn't sing in French". Far-right media amplified Les Natifs' banner which they unfurled along the capital's River Seine, another in a series of provocative stunts by the group which it shares with thousands of followers on social media. In March, the group covered portraits of veiled women on display in a church in the Paris suburb of Saint-Denis with black sheets. One of the thirteen defendants set to stand trial on Wednesday, Stanislas T., 24, will also face charges in that case on Thursday. And in February, they plastered an Air Algeria office in Paris with posters reading "Re-migrate 'light' from France to Algeria, for a one-way ticket with no return" written over a single suitcase. The goal for groups like Les Natifs is to "provoke massive reactions and shock public opinion so we have no choice but to talk about them", said Marion Jacquet-Vaillant, an expert on far-right movements in France. Among the defendants are Les Natifs' leader Edouard M., a 28-year-old finance professional, and the group's spokesman, Antoine G., a 27-year-old lawyer. Both were absent from the hearing. Capucine C., 22, who until March 2025 was a "parliamentary assistant" to three far-right National Rally MPs, was in the courtroom on Wednesday. In April, one of Les Natifs' roughly 50 members described the group's identity as "civilisational, European; national, French; and local, Parisian". The so-called fight against the "great replacement" is the "mother of all battles", said Gabriel, 25, who works in finance. In 2024, the UN human rights chief warned that the conspiracy theory is "delusional and deeply racist," and a direct driver of violence. Nakamura's complaint is not the only one stemming from the opening ceremony to head to trial. A French court in May found seven people guilty of bullying Thomas Jolly, the artistic director for the opening ceremony who is openly gay. And five people are to stand trial in September over similar complaints from Barbara Butch, a French DJ and lesbian activist who starred in a controversial scene during the event. aje-abo/ekf/sjw/phz
LeMonde
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- LeMonde
Thirteen go on trial in France over 'racist' insult targeting singer Aya Nakamura
Thirteen people will appear in a Paris court on Wednesday, June 4, over a "racist" insult targeting French-Malian singer Aya Nakamura, who faced criticism from the far right and harassment over her performance at the Paris Olympics opening ceremony. The defendants, linked to extreme-right group Les Natifs (the Natives), are on trial for unveiling a banner in March 2024 that read: "No way, Aya, this is Paris, not the Bamako market" – a reference to Mali's capital, where the singer was born. Nakamura's performance sparked a political firestorm among far-right politicians and conservatives in a reaction French President Emmanuel Macron at the time described as "racist" and "shocking." The 13 defendants, between 20 and 31-years-old, now face charges of publicly inciting hatred or violence – or complicity in such incitement – on the grounds of ethnicity, nationality, race, or religion. Les Natifs espouses the far-right, white nationalist so-called "Great Replacement" conspiracy theory, according to which white Europeans are being deliberately supplanted by non-white immigrants. Nakamura responded to the group's stunt on social media, writing: "You can be racist, but you're not deaf... and that's what really bothers you! I'm suddenly the number one topic of debate – but what do I really owe you? Nothing." The singer and anti-discrimination NGOs filed complaints with the Paris prosecutor's office over the incident, which was investigated by France's anti-hate crimes organization, OCLCH. 'Shock public opinion' The 30-year-old is the world's most listened to Francophone singer, and her July 2024 performance on one of Paris's fabled bridges, the Pont des Arts, was among the most-watched moments of the opening ceremony. But when rumors began circulating in March that the Mali-born and Paris-raised superstar was going to perform, far-right politicians and groups vehemently criticized the decision. An appearance by Nakamura, who mixes French with Arabic and Malian slang, would "humiliate" the country, far-right leader Marine Le Pen suggested, taking aim at her supposed "vulgarity" and "the fact that she doesn't sing in French." Far-right media amplified Les Natifs' banner which they unfurled along the capital's Seine River, another in a series of provocative stunts by the group which it shares with thousands of followers on social media. In March, the group covered portraits of veiled women on display in a church in the Paris suburb of Saint-Denis with black sheets. One of the 13 defendants set to stand trial on Wednesday, Stanislas T., 24, will also face charges in that case on Thursday. And in February, they plastered an Air Algeria office in Paris with posters reading "Re-migrate 'light' from France to Algeria, for a one-way ticket with no return" written over a single suitcase. Nakamura's complaint is not the only one stemming from last summer's opening ceremony to head to trial. A French court in May found seven people guilty of bullying Thomas Jolly, the artistic director for the opening ceremony who is openly gay. And five people are to stand trial in September over similar complaints from Barbara Butch, a French DJ and lesbian activist who starred in a controversial scene during the event.
