Insults, projectiles thrown, and concert stopped: Barbara Butch attacked in Grenoble by members of her own camp

Barbara Butch's concert was abruptly interrupted Saturday night at the Cabaret Frappé festival in Grenoble. The DJ, the evening's headliner, was targeted by 150 to 200 pro-Palestinian activists, including members and supporters of the La France Insoumise party. The demonstrators booed the artist, chanted slogans, hurled insults, and gave the middle finger to the stage. The City of Grenoble also reported that glass bottles and other projectiles were thrown. It denounced the sabotage of some of the electrical equipment used for the show. Faced with the risks to the artist, the technicians, and the audience, the organizers definitively ended the concert after about twenty minutes.

Activists drowned out the music with their slogans.

Barbara Butch took to the stage at the Jardin de Ville shortly after 22:20 p.m. From the start of her performance, activists gathered in front of the stage unfurled Palestinian flags and several banners. They then drowned out the DJ's music and speeches with boos, whistles, and slogans. Several attendees gave the artist the middle finger. Tensions quickly escalated around the stage. According to organizers and local press, the band drew between 150 and 200 people. The municipality stated that glass bottles and various projectiles were thrown at the stage. It also announced that some of the festival's electrical equipment had been sabotaged. Activists present at the scene disputed the accusations of violence and described their demonstration as peaceful.

Barbara Butch left the stage under protection

After approximately 20 minutes, the organizers and the City decided to permanently end the performance for safety reasons. Barbara Butch left the stage under the protection of festival staff, as John Lennon's " Imagine " played as she departed. Deputy Mayor for Culture Alexis Monge then addressed the crowd. He defended freedom of expression and the artist's right to perform. He, too, was targeted by the protesters. The municipality stated that bottles were thrown in his direction.

LFI Grenoble called for its boycott as early as May

Barbara Butch's appearance sparked controversy several weeks before the festival. In May, the Grenoble branch of La France Insoumise (LFI) called for a cultural boycott of the DJ and demanded her removal from the lineup. Activists criticized her for having signed an opinion piece in support of the proposed law put forward by Caroline Yadan against "new forms of antisemitism." The bill notably included a broadening of the offense of condoning terrorism. Her opponents accused her of threatening freedom of expression and potentially targeting supporters of the Palestinian cause. The proposal was ultimately withdrawn. LFI Grenoble also criticized Barbara Butch for her cultural ties to Israel and a performance scheduled for 2025 in the gardens of the French ambassador's residence. The DJ's defenders asserted that her involvement primarily focused on combating antisemitism and that it did not constitute support for the policies of the Israeli government.

A left-wing artist attacked by a faction within her own party

The attack targeted a culturally and politically engaged figure on the left. Barbara Butch has championed LGBTQ+ rights, feminism, the fight against fatphobia, and the struggle against the far right. After signing the open letter supporting the Yadan bill, she acknowledged being particularly affected by the attacks coming from circles to which she herself belonged. She explained that when the hatred was expressed by her "own side ," it was even harder to bear. The DJ had already been subjected to a significant cyberbullying campaign after her participation in the opening ceremony of the 2024 Paris Olympics. She received antisemitic, lesbophobic, sexist, and fatphobic messages.

The City of Grenoble has announced a complaint

In the aftermath of the incidents, the mayor of Grenoble, Laurence Ruffin, described the events as "extremely serious ." The municipality announced it would be filing a complaint to identify those responsible for the violence, the throwing of projectiles, and the alleged sabotage of electrical installations. Alexis Monge also announced his intention to take legal action after being targeted with bottles during his intervention. Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez condemned the events "in the strongest possible terms." He denounced an unacceptable attack on freedom of expression and freedom of creation. The LICRA (International League Against Racism and Anti-Semitism) denounced an "anti-Semitic conflation ." The association asserted that Barbara Butch was held personally responsible for the policies of the State of Israel because of her Jewish identity and her activism against anti-Semitism.