Seven of ten defendants appeared in Paris court on Monday for cyberharassment against Brigitte Macron, accused of relaying a conspiracy theory claiming she is a man. Supported by militants including yellow vests, they invoke freedom of expression and the spirit of Charlie Hebdo. The First Lady, absent, filed a complaint in August 2024.
The trial opened on Monday, October 27, 2025, at the Paris court, where ten people are being tried until the following Tuesday for cyberharassing Brigitte Macron through posts on Twitter (now X). Accused of spreading for months, or even years, jokes, insults, photomontages, and caricatures claiming the First Lady is actually a man – and even suspecting pedophilia toward President Emmanuel Macron –, seven defendants testified on the first day.
Outside the courtroom, the reception was warm: handshakes, hugs, and thanks. Aurélien Poirson-Atlan, known by the pseudonym 'Zoé Sagan' on social media where he had thousands of followers before his account was suspended, received particular support. A group, including a yellow vest militant, gathered early in the morning to attend the trial and defend what they see as an unfair attack on online freedom of expression.
Brigitte Macron, absent from the hearing, had filed a complaint against the X platform in August 2024 for these acts. The relayed theory, described as 'wild' by sources, claims the First Lady underwent a gender transition and is actually her brother Jean-Michel Trogneux. The defendants defend their actions as 'humor' and 'satire,' one stating: 'I am in a Charlie spirit.' This trial highlights tensions between freedom of expression and cyberharassment in the digital space.