Brigitte Macron Faces Defamation Complaint After Calling Feminist Activists "Stupid Bitches"

Overview

• The collective Les Tricoteuses hystériques filed a public defamation complaint in Paris on behalf of 343 women, citing Brigitte Macron’s recorded insult.
• The remark was captured backstage at the Folies Bergère on December 7 following a December 6 protest that interrupted Ary Abittan’s show.
• Abittan was accused of rape in 2021, and investigators later archived the case for lack of evidence, a context cited by protesters who shouted "rapist."
• Macron told Brut she regrets it if victims were hurt, said she did not know the conversation was being recorded, and defended her right to speak in private.
• The episode drew a wave of support for the activists as public figures echoed the slogan "I am also a stupid bitch" on social media.