Extremist individuals penalized for hurling racial slurs towards popular singer Aya Nakamura in France
In a recent court ruling, thirteen members of the far-right group Les Natifs were found guilty of public insult of a racist nature, not incitement to hatred, against the French-Malian singer Aya Nakamura. The group, successors to the extreme-right group Génération identitaire, which was dissolved in 2021, faced charges for their actions in June 2024.
The controversy started when Les Natifs plastered an Air Algérie office with posters reading 'Re-migrate "light" from France to Algeria, for a one-way ticket with no return'. This was followed by a stunt in March, where they covered portraits of veiled women in a church in Saint-Denis with black sheets.
The most notable incident, however, occurred in June when the group unveiled a banner on the banks of the Seine, referencing Mali's capital. Marine Le Pen, figurehead of the far-right National Rally, suggested Aya Nakamura's participation in the Paris Games would 'humiliate' France, adding to the criticism against the singer.
Aya Nakamura, the most listened-to Francophone artist in the world with over 6 billion streams of her songs, was not present in court. The court reclassified the offence as aggravated public insult of a racist nature, and the defendants were ordered to pay €300 in damages to Nakamura and other plaintiffs, including anti-racism organizations SOS Racisme and Licra.
The sentences were lighter than those sought by the prosecution, who had requested up to four months in prison. Two defendants were fined €3,000, one €3,000 with €1,000 suspended, four €3,000 with €2,000 suspended, and three €2,000 suspended. Only three defendants attended the trial, and just two were present in court when the verdict was delivered. None of the defendants spoke after the judgment was handed down.
Dominique Sopo, president of SOS Racisme, expressed a 'recognition of guilt' regarding the verdict. Marine Le Pen criticized Aya Nakamura's 'vulgarity' and 'the fact that she doesn't sing in French'. The image of the banner was posted on social media platform X and viewed nearly 4.5 million times.
It is important to note that Les Natifs subscribe to the far-right, white nationalist 'Great Replacement' conspiracy theory. The court's decision marks a significant step in addressing such hate speech and upholding the values of inclusivity and diversity in France.
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