DJ Barbara Butch, who performed in the Olympic opening scene with the Last Supper, complained of death threats
French DJ and activist Barbara Butsch has filed several police reports after receiving death threats for attending an Olympic opening ceremony that was compared to Leonardo da Vinci's The Last Supper.
Barbara Butsch posted a statement on Instagram* from her lawyer, Audrey Mcellati, who said Butsch had been "the subject of an extremely vicious campaign of cyberstalking and defamation": "She has received death threats, torture and rape, and has been the target of numerous anti-Semitic, homophobic and sexist insults. Barbara Butsch condemns this vile hatred directed at her, what she represents and what she stands for. Today, she is filing several complaints against these acts, committed by both French and foreign nationals, and intends to prosecute anyone who tries to intimidate her in the future."
Butch herself said that she was honored to be part of the opening ceremony of the Olympics and that in her work as a DJ, she has always promoted "love and inclusivity": "To me, this is what will save the world, even when it is collapsing. Today, however, I have become the subject of yet another - particularly vicious - cyber-harassment. Although I initially chose to remain silent to give the haters time to cool off, the messages I receive have become increasingly extreme. No matter what anyone says, I exist. I have never been ashamed of who I am and I take responsibility for everything, including my artistic choices. My whole life, I have refused to consider myself a victim and I will not shut up. I am not afraid of those who hide behind a screen or a pseudonym to spew their hatred and frustration."
According to Variety, the Paris prosecutor's office confirmed that they had received a complaint: "These facts could potentially be classified as insult aggravated by discrimination, threats to kill and public incitement to an attempt on the life or physical integrity of a person."
Recall that such a wave of hate arose after the opening of the Olympics, in particular, many did not like the scene in which drag queens and other representatives of the LGBTQ** community participated, which caused a negative reaction from the Catholic Church and many conservatives. Many saw it as an insult due to the fact that the scene repeated Leonardo da Vinci's painting "The Last Supper", but at the same time, the artistic director of the Olympics, Thomas Jolly, told the French TV channel BFMTV that this fragment was not inspired by "The Last Supper", but was a tribute to Greek mythology. Barbara Butch was in the center of the stage in a silver headdress and a blue dress. On Instagram*, she called her image "the Olympic music goddess".
Olympic organisers have already apologised for the scene at a press conference after the ceremony. Spokeswoman Anne Descamps said "it was obviously not our intention to show disrespect to any religious group... If people were offended, we are very sorry."