Thirteen people have gone on trial in France over a campaign held against Aya Nakamura, a singer who performed at the Paris Olympics opening ceremony. All defendants are linked to far right group Les Natifs, who have advocated for Nakamura to be removed from the ceremony.
The trial was held earlier in June after the group Les Natifs unveiled a banner reading: “No way, Aya, this is Paris, not the Bamako market” in March 2024, according to France 24. The phrase was made in reference to the capital of Mali, where French citizen Nakamura was born.
Far-right ideology on trial after 13 people launch ‘racist’ campaign against Aya Nakamura
Les Natifs is a French white supremacist group that has taken on the theory of the Great Replacement, an ideology according to which white Europeans are being replaced by immigrants of color.
The 13 defendants are all aged between 20 and 31 years old. They face charges of inciting hatred and violence based on ethnicity, nationality, race or religion. Three of them appeared and court, while the others were represented by their lawyers.
The defendants, including the spokesman for Les Natifs, Stanislas T., refused to answer questions, reading a statement to justify their actions.
“What is at stake today is the issue of freedom of expression and the independence of the judicial system,” Les Natifs spokesperson Stanislas T. said.
He denied that the group incited any hatred against Nakamaura while refusing to answer questions. Stanislas T. said the aim of the group’s campaign against the singer was to call out “a political choice that deliberately sought to promote the dissolution of our ancestral culture.”
Prosecutors requested sentences of up to four months of incarceration, while lawyers for the defendants asked for their clients to be acquitted.
The group’s campaign against Nakamura echoes similar sentiment shared by far-right leaders. Marine Le Pen said the singer’s participation in the opening ceremony would “humiliate” France because of her “vulgarity” and “the fact that she doesn’t sing in French.” Former parliamentary assistant to National Rally MPs Capucine C. was among those accused, according to France 24.
President Emmanuel Macron defended Aya Nakamura’s opening ceremony performance
Macron called out the debate ahead of the singer’s performance at the opening ceremony that was spearheaded by far-right politicians and activists. He described the public outrage against Nakamura as “racist” and “shocking.”
Nakamura previously gave a public response to the stunt pulled by Les Natifs.
“You can be racist, but you’re not deaf … and that’s what really bothers you! I’m suddenly the number one topic of debate – but what do I really owe you? Nothing,” she wrote on social media at the time.
