Barbara Butch's concert at the Cabaret Frappé festival in Grenoble, was interrupted last Saturday After only 20 minutes, more than a hundred pro-Palestinian demonstrators, mobilized against the DJ's presence, booed the artist, chanted slogans, and tried to drown out her music. Projectiles, including glass bottles, were thrown toward the stage. Faced with the risks to the artist, the audience, and the technical crew, the organizers stopped the performance, and Barbara Butch was escorted out.
An image showing the artist covered in blood
The mobilization was preceded by a campaign calling for a boycott of Barbara Butch, supported since May by the Grenoble branch of La France Insoumise (LFI). A graphic published by LFI Grenoble depicts the DJ in front of an LGBT+ flag emblazoned with a Star of David. Her face is crossed out and her body appears covered in blood.
The leaflet presents her as a "supporter of genocide." It primarily criticizes her for having signed an opinion piece supporting the bill introduced by MP Caroline Yadan, intended to combat renewed forms of antisemitism. The bill has since been withdrawn. Its opponents argued that it risked restricting freedom to criticize Israeli policy and creating confusion between French Jews and the decisions of the Israeli government.
Barbara Butch herself distanced herself from this signature in May. She acknowledged that she should not have lent her name to this platform, while also recalling that she had faced antisemitism since childhood.
Bottles thrown towards the stage
On the evening of the concert, Barbara Butch took to the stage shortly after 22:20 p.m. The protesters greeted her with whistles, boos, and shouts. Slogans like "Free Palestine" and "Barbara Butch, out!" rang out in front of the stage. Palestinian flags were unfurled while several people raised their middle fingers.
The DJ and her lawyer described being pelted with gravel, cardboard boxes, liquids, and glass bottles. Several projectiles hit the mixing console or landed at the artist's feet. The City of Grenoble also confirmed that bottles and other objects had been deliberately thrown toward the stage.
Allan Brunon, a member of the La France Insoumise party from Grenoble who was present at the demonstration, disputes this version of events regarding the projectiles. He asserted that the demonstration was peaceful and declared himself "extremely proud" to have participated. Manuel Bompard, the national coordinator of La France Insoumise, also defended the principle of protesting against the political stances of an artist, while maintaining that he disapproved of any behavior that went beyond peaceful conduct.
"I was scared."
Barbara Butch broke her silence Monday evening in an op-ed co-signed with her lawyer, Audrey Msellati. In it, the artist recounts the fear she felt when projectiles began to hit the stage.
"A border has been crossed.""The two women write that the political protest escalated into intimidation, then physical violence. Barbara Butch believes it was no longer about discussing her opinions, but about preventing her from performing and driving her off the stage."
On Instagram, the DJ also wrote: "I was scared."However, she announced that she would return to the stage and that she would not give up practicing her profession.
His Jewish identity and homosexuality are being targeted, the artist asserts.
Barbara Butch and her lawyer establish a direct link between the violence in Grenoble, the boycott campaign, and the artist's identity. They specifically denounce the use of his bloodied face in front of a Star of David incorporated into a rainbow flag.
For them, the anti-Zionism used to justify the mobilization served to personally target a Jewish artist as responsible for the war in Gaza. They also believe that her homosexuality, highlighted in the leaflet by the LGBT+ flag, was used to target her.
Barbara Butch claims that she has been the target of a months-long campaign aimed at canceling her concerts and excluding her from the entertainment industry. Her lawyer announced that "The complaints are ready.".
An investigation has been opened by the Grenoble prosecutor's office.
The City of Grenoble announced it had filed a complaint against persons unknown after the show was interrupted. Mayor Laurence Ruffin denounced a strategy of intimidation and the violence that occurred during the concert.
The Grenoble public prosecutor's office opened an investigation on Tuesday, July 21, for "concerted obstruction of freedoms." This offense is punishable by one year of imprisonment and a fine of €15,000. Investigators will notably have to identify those responsible for throwing projectiles and determine precisely who was responsible for stopping the concert.
A wave of political reactions
Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez condemned the interruption of the concert and denounced it as an attack on freedom of expression. Yaël Braun-Pivet, Gabriel Attal and Marine Le Pen have shown their support for Barbara Butch by denouncing anti-Semitic acts.
On the left, several figures have also distanced themselves from the mobilization. Former La France Insoumise MP Clémentine Autain argued that the politicians who supported the Yadan bill should be held accountable before an artist is personally targeted.
The Licra and several anti-racism organizations have demanded that the violence, threats and possible anti-Semitic insults be investigated.
