Eight-Month Suspended Sentence for Man Who Threatened Judge in Marine Le Pen Case

A 76-year-old man was sentenced on Wednesday, April 9, by the Bobigny Criminal Court to an eight-month suspended prison term and a €3,000 fine for threatening the judge who sentenced Marine Le Pen to a period of ineligibility.

A Threatening Post on Social Media

Arrested in La Garenne-Colombes the previous day, Gérard B. admitted to having posted a disturbing message on social media platform X, accompanied by an image of a guillotine, in response to an article discussing the conviction of the National Rally leader. In court, he sought to downplay the incident, claiming the image was “a symbol of justice” and expressing remorse: “I never intended to threaten anyone.”

A retired former company director, married and a father of two, Gérard B. had no prior criminal record. He was charged with “contempt of court” and “incitement to commit a crime or offense against a public official.”

Since the March 31 ruling sentencing Marine Le Pen to five years of immediate ineligibility, Bénédicte de Perthuis, president of the 11th Criminal Chamber of the Paris Judicial Court, has received numerous threats and insults on social media. Her home has been placed under police protection due to the severity of the threats, which have also targeted members of her family. The Paris prosecutor’s office has opened an investigation.