A Paris art dealer, Bertrand Scholler, cofounder of gallery 55 Bellechasse, was among 10 people found guilty of online harassment for falsely claiming that French First Lady Brigitte Macron was born male. The court issued suspended sentences, fines, and a six-month ban from X, with the defendants also ordered to pay compensation. Scholler, who has over 108,000 followers on X, announced he would close his account for six months in compliance with the court order.
This case highlights the real-world harm caused by baseless conspiracy theories targeting public figures, and the legal consequences for those who amplify such falsehoods online. It also underscores the intersection of the art world with broader social and political issues, as a gallerist's social media influence led to his involvement in a high-profile harassment case.