The journalists’ societies (SDJ) of several media, including BFM-TV and TF1, “condemned”, on Tuesday August 29, “inappropriate” and “sexist” statements by the Minister of Justice, Eric Dupond-Moretti.
The Keeper of the Seals went to Aurillac (Cantal) on Monday to condemn the heavy damage committed in court on the sidelines of a demonstration which brought together many topless women on Saturday in support of Marina, prosecuted for “sexual exhibition” after to be walked like this in the city. The latter had explained to the local press that she was “super hot” and wanted to do “like half the men”: walk around shirtless.
In a press release published Tuesday on X (ex-Twitter), BFM-TV’s SDJ criticizes Eric Dupond-Moretti for the following statements: “I note that, among the female journalists who questioned me, no one was in front of me bare breasts, huh. Wasn’t it warm enough? “These remarks, addressed after a press briefing “to several journalists including two editorial colleagues”, are “inappropriate”, the SDJ was indignant.
In the process, TF1’s SDJ condemned these “sexist remarks” made in front of its “film crew”, judging them “unacceptable”, even “in the form of a joke”, which “moreover, in the mouth of ‘a minister “.
“Wasn’t it warm enough?” »
For his part, Mr. Moretti deplores “a controversy that has no place to be”, explained his entourage to Agence France-Presse, citing his “total” determination to “fight against all types of sexual violence and sexist”. “The Minister regrets that when a court nearly burned from floor to ceiling” “remarks were taken out of context to attribute to him intentions that are not his”.
In addition, his entourage wanted to clarify the course of the scene. According to him, the minister first saw that the journalists were not “bare breasted”, “meaning that respect for the law was the norm”. Then someone in the room said, “Maybe it wasn’t warm enough? To which the minister replied, “Wasn’t it warm enough?” It suits you to say that, you are a man. »
BFM-TV’s SDJ press release sparked a number of reactions on X, in the press and beyond. The society of journalists and Liberation staff castigated the “shocking” remarks, showing its “support for the sisters targeted”, as did the SDJ of Mediapart and the society of editors of Le Monde.
“Inappropriate remarks, inappropriate minister,” chided PS boss Olivier Faure. “Let him manage his libido somewhere other than government,” he added.
“What finesse. What eloquence. What gallantry. What a man. What a minister,” quipped feminist activist Anne-Cécile Mailfert, president of the Women’s Foundation.