Overview
- On Thursday, the Parquet de Paris opened a preliminary criminal investigation for cyberharassment and death threats and the Pôle national de lutte contre la haine en ligne asked the BRDP to carry out technical enquiries to identify authors.
- Gisèle Journo and her agency say they received thousands of abusive messages, including antisemitic insults and written death threats such as “Mourrez bande de sionistes” and “Vous serez chassés, traqués, tabassés.”
- The wave of online attacks followed an August 14 Instagram post by MEP Rima Hassan calling for a boycott after users highlighted republications by Journo of contested content, including a video of an Israeli soldier described by some as a personal tribute and a concert clip.
- High-profile fallout ensued: Léna Situations liked Hassan’s post, unfollowed and removed images of Journo, several creators left or distanced themselves from the Gisèle Paris agency, and politicians have urged brands that work with influencers to reconsider partnerships.
- The case highlights how platform reposts can trigger rapid reputational harm and legal action in France, and it may prompt brands and creators to tighten vetting of shared content and to monitor for coordinated harassment online.