French President Emmanuel Macron says he has “no regret” over defending display icon Gerard Depardieu’s presumption of innocence after the actor was charged with rape and accused of sexual harassment.
“If I have one regret, it’s to not have said enough how important the words of women who are victims of this violence are,” he stated at a uncommon press convention Tuesday.
Depardieu, 75, was charged with rape in 2020 and has been accused of sexual harassment and assault by greater than a dozen girls, allegations he denies.
Outrage on the actor’s conduct peaked after the discharge final month of beforehand unseen footage from a 2018 journey to North Korea throughout which Depardieu made repeated sexual feedback within the presence of a feminine translator, together with a couple of younger woman driving a horse.
Asked about the potential of stripping the actor of a high state award in December, Macron stated he refused to “participate in a manhunt”, inflicting an uproar amongst politicians and feminists.
© 2024 AFP