French Parachuting Federation Files Complaint, Suspends Members Over Ku Klux Klan-Themed Party

Overview

• The incident took place on October 18 at the Brienne-le-Château club in Aube, where participants appeared in Ku Klux Klan costumes and others in blackface, with videos shared in a club WhatsApp group.
• The Fédération française de parachutisme called the filmed scene premeditated rather than an alcohol-fueled lapse and condemned it as a potential criminal offense and a grave moral violation.
• The federation filed a criminal complaint with constitution de partie civile and submitted an Article 40 report to the public prosecutor.
• Provisional bans from jumps have been imposed, with nine identified individuals to be summoned before the federation’s disciplinary committee as identifications continue.
• Reports describe a simulated execution ritual involving burning wooden pallets during the themed party, and no public announcement of charges by prosecutors has been made.