JUSTICE – “It’s not cinema, it’s trauma. » Monday October 28, around a hundred people, the vast majority women, demonstrated in front of the Paris court, where the trial of Gérard Depardieu, accused of sexual assault on two women in 2021was finally postponed until spring 2025.
As you can see in the video at the top of the articlethe demonstrators diverted the controversial words spoken by Emmanuel Macron to defend the actor in December 2023. “You are not the pride of France”they chanted, in reference to the words of the President of the Republic, who had denounced against Gérard Depardieu, a “huge actor” Who “makes France proud”.
“Victims we believe you, rapists we see you”we could also hear shortly before the start of the hearing scheduled for 1:30 p.m. where the 75-year-old actor’s lawyer requested the dismissal, because of “state of health” of his client who is absent.
Summoned to court on Monday, Gérard Depardieu did not appear, the defense citing health reasons. The criminal court finally postponed the trial to March 24 and 25, 2025. The president of the chamber ordered a medical assessment at the beginning of March in order to rule on the actor’s capacity to appear.
“Speech is freed”
“Today we are together to say to the victims of Gérard Depardieu “we are with you”, to all those who did not have a trial, to all those whose complaints were not accepted, to all those who are afraid to file a complaint, to all those who have not yet been able to speak “we are with you””said feminist activist Anna Toumazoff.
Castigating a “impunity that we have observed for decades”Louise-Anne Baudrier of the Women’s Foundation, for her part, denounced the fact that “A lot of people knew what Depardieu was doing and no one spoke. ».
“Today a word is released”underlined feminist activist Sophia Antoine, welcoming “the victims who spoke out because it was necessary to attack this monster which is supposedly the pride of France. »
A great figure in French cinema known throughout the world, with more than 200 films, Gérard Depardieu has been accused over the past six years of sexual violence by several women.
Complaints for sexual assault targeting the actor were classified for prescription. The Paris prosecutor’s office, however, requested his referral to the criminal court so that he could be tried for rape and sexual assault on the actress Charlotte Arnould. The latter was present during the gathering Monday in front of the court.
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