Sports
Police Investigating Hate Speech Targeting Olympics Opening Ceremony Artistic Director Thomas Jolly
PARIS — Jolly is under fire. Paris prosecutors announced Friday that police have launched a hate speech investigation in response to a complaint from Olympic opening ceremony creative director Thomas Jolly about death threats.
According to a statement from the Paris prosecutor’s office, Thomas filed a police complaint on Tuesday, four days after the opening ceremony, for death threats, “public insults,” and “defamation.”
Thomas stated that he has received “threatening messages and insults on social networks criticising his sexual orientation and his incorrectly assumed Israeli roots.” France’s Central Office is handling the case for Combating Crimes Against Humanity and Hate Crimes.
Jolly | AP news Image
Police Investigating Hate Speech Targeting Olympics Opening Ceremony Artistic Director Thomas Jolly
Thomas’s protest comes after the Paris Olympics’ opening ceremony sparked anger, including angry comments from Donald Trump, following a controversial scene involving drag queens and other artists. Despite Jolly’s repeated claims that he was not influenced by “The Last Supper,” critics saw a portion of the act as a parody of Leonardo Da Vinci’s masterpiece depicting Jesus Christ and his apostles.
French President Emmanuel Macron expressed his support for Thomas and the performers at the Olympics opening ceremony.
“I am outraged and sad,” Macron said of the threats and abuse Thomas and others have faced. “Nothing justifies threats against an artist,” Macron stated.
“French people were very proud of the opening ceremony that presented France’s history, its adventurous spirit, its audacity and it was all done with artistic freedom, which is very important to us,” Macron told the crowd.
Jolly’s “daring art in the opening ceremony made many people happy,” he explained.
In his opening ceremony, “Thomas held our values high,” Hidalgo said in a statement Friday. “It was a pride and an honour for Paris to be able to count on his talent to magnify our city and tell the world who we are.”
Jolly | AP news image
Police Investigating Hate Speech Targeting Olympics Opening Ceremony Artistic Director Thomas Jolly
Hidalgo went further: “Paris will always be on the side of artists, of creation and therefore, on the side of freedom.”
Barbara Butch, a prominent DJ and LGBTQ+ icon who appeared on the show, also claimed she received a slew of internet threats. Butch filed a complaint citing online abuse and harassment, which police are also looking into.
SOURCE | AP
