French woman arrested for calling President Macron 'Trash'

Woman Arrested for Calling French President Macron "Trash"

Hard to believe this is happening in France. I thought France was supposed to be a bastion of free speech.

Valérie first came onto the police’s radar after she was pictured in front of some graffiti calling the French leader “trash”, which officers believed she was responsible for writing, a claim she denies.

The police went on to confront her with a post on Facebook that she wrote on Tuesday of last week, which said ahead of a Macron press conference: "The trash will talk tomorrow at 1 p.m., for people who are nothing, it is always on TV that we find the trash."

Valérie is a middle-aged woman in the Saint-Martin-lez-Tatinghem commune of the Calais region of France, and has long been a Gillet Juanes (Yellow Vest) protester.

She was greeted at her home by three police officers, who arrested her for supposedly insulting French President Macron on Facebook under the controversial criminal code that criminalises spreading “contempt of public officials”.

For this, she was arrested and will be tried on June 20th, when she faces up to a year in jail and a fine of up to €15,000. The vaguely worded statute under which she will be charged, criminalises statements deemed to “affect the personal dignity or the respect owed to a public official”.

https://www.breitbart.com/europe/20...lling-president-macron-trash-on-social-media/
Kurt Zindulka, March 31, 2023

 

The utter disrespect that we foster in America is disgusting.

We even see that in CONGRESS!!!

This is hugely damaging to our society and our ability to govern.

We have a responsibility toward our system. The common method of defeating democracy is to simply undermine respect.

Do we want a democratic form of government, or NOT??

 

Are you in the correct thread?

 

I don't know that France drew the line in the right place or that it is carried out consistently.

But, I stand by what I said.

 

What you said is...gibberish.

 

Well, you could always respond to that post.

 

Sounds like a bad law.

 

Do you think we owe government officials respect or should they earn it

 

We owe them civility.

We can judge whether their charters are what is needed and whether they are being successful.

Respect is earned, but disrespect isn't helpful.

Partisanship absolutely can kill democracy. What would remain of the USA after that?

 

I cannot respond to gibberish. It's like trying to "respond" to a statement of, "Boomerang glimmer android cattle magazine torpedo onions."

 

I don't owe anyone's civility who is trying to trample on my rights.

 

So, what form of government do YOU want, once democracy dies?

 

Did you actually stand by this principle when Trump was President?

 

Oh yeah free speech about our opinion of our leaders is going to kill democracy...

But I'm sure you felt like it was just fine for anyone to say whatever they wanted about Trump

 

I would not treat Trump in a way that wasn't civil.

However, there is ample room for campaigning and protesting on various decisions made by officials, and doing so in a civil manner.

Also, your concern about Trump is not well placed. Trump was NOT representative of other presidents, including Republican presidents.

 

Nobody is attacking your free speech rights.

But, we CAN continue to strongly support free speech and use that right to bring down democracy.

Democracy depends on the people. (Obviously.)

 

I want whichever form of govt cant lock me up for criticizing it (or its 'leaders'). Is that form of govt democracy?

 

Look, there is NO QUESTION that a US citizen can violate various laws, even laws that govern free speech.

Our democracy has ALWAYS allowed free speech. But, suggesting there can be no limits is ridiculous.

Is there some other country where you prefer their position on speech?

 

Certainly not France, where apparently one can be jailed for dissing the ruler.

Im trying to figure out why you responded to a report about that happening with how unhappy you are about the state of speech in the US ...where that doesnt happen (yet). Cuz it sounds like you think some people should be penalized for their 'disrespectfullness' ...but you dont actually want to say so. Feel free to clarify your position, so far it leaves a lot of room for speculation.

 

I said civility, not disrespect. But, I would agree that Charlottesville, Jan 6, Florida advances against minorities and education, and other events certainly do show advancing disrespect.

We have CONGRESSMEN who promote the idea that Trump won the last election, when that is clearly false. We have those who are moving to make it harder for those they see as enemies to vote. We are seeing laws enabling state officials to discard the vote of the people.

This is how we can use speech to kill democracy.

If you think this is OK, tell me what you want as a replacement for democracy.

 

I prefer we continue to limit democracy with a code of laws that prevent the fickle majority from toppling democracy with subjective laws like criminalizing the criticism of govt officials.

 

Governments that outlaw the opposition are quacking like what they are.

FACING HISTORY & OURSELVES,Outlawing the Opposition, April 26, 2022.
https://www.facinghistory.org/resource-library/outlawing-opposition

 

You thought.......unwisely......