Overview
- The Paris court closed hearings on Oct. 28 in the case of 10 defendants accused of cyberharassing Brigitte Macron by spreading a false claim about her gender, setting judgment for Jan. 5, 2026.
- The public prosecutor asked for suspended prison sentences ranging from three to twelve months, with additional fines of several thousand euros reported.
- Prosecutors and observers distinguished three principal instigators—Aurélien Poirson-Atlan, Bertrand Scholler and Amandine Roy—from seven mostly low-reach followers who amplified the rumour.
- Many defendants invoked humour, satire or the 'Charlie spirit' as a defense, a position publicly rejected by broadcaster Marc Menant as unrelated to legitimate caricature.
- Testifying as a witness, Tiphaine Auzière said the campaign damaged her mother's health, while experts argue the case exemplifies how conspiratorial online networks normalize coordinated abuse.