Ten people have been found guilty of cyber bullying France’s first lady Brigitte Macron.
The legal action was sparked by false claims that the French president‘s wife is a transgender woman who was born a man.
Brigitte Macron. File pic: AP
The defendants, eight men and two women aged between 41 and 60, were accused of posting numerous malicious and transphobic comments about Ms Macron’s gender and sexuality.
They were also accused of linking the 24-year age gap between Ms Macron, 72, and her husband Emmanuel Macron, 48, to paedophilia. The couple, who have been married since 2007, first met at secondary school, where he was a student and she was a teacher.
French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte. Pic: AP
Several defendants told the court their comments were intended as humour or satire, and said they did not understand why they were being prosecuted.
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