Amid two complaints of rape and attempted rape, Patrick Bruel is also at the center of a heated online controversy. With reactions from public figures, memories of a case in Corsica in 2019, and the spreading of audio archives, social media is reigniting and redefining the case.
An affair relaunched by new complaints
The singer is facing two complaints of rape and attempted rape, revealed in mid-March. These are accusations that he strongly denies.
Quickly, the case has moved beyond the legal framework to take root in another terrain: social media, where reactions are multiplying rapidly.
Actresses, artists, media personalities—several public figures have publicly reacted. Among them, Alexandra Lamy and Andréa Bescond have spoken out, each in their own way, contributing to amplifying the visibility of the case.
“Fuck you Patrick”
“I remember in 2022, you showed up uninvited to a feminist festival party where I was a judge, you played the victim because I refused to come, I boycotted you and it turned into a counter-party in my hotel room,” wrote Andréa Bescond, accusing him of later “badmouthing” her “all over Paris”. And added: “I thank and support all the women who have the courage to testify and file complaints against you today, and those who did before (…) Fuck you Patrick.”
The publication was commented on by other artists, such as Anouchka Delon, who posted a “stay strong everyone” or a very notable “Well, we know.” by Inora Malagré.
Actress Alexandra Lamy clarified that she had participated in Andréa Bescond’s “counter-party.”
“Finally,” then reacted her daughter, actress Chloé Jouannet, in an Instagram story.
Some reactions express support for the complainants, while others question more broadly the silence that can surround these types of accusations.
A recurring idea emerges: for some, these events would fit into a context evoked by the past.
In Corsica, a precedent in people’s minds
In August 2019, Patrick Bruel was implicated in an investigation after alleged incidents at a hotel in Porticcio, near Ajaccio.
While performing in concert in Southern Corsica, the artist was questioned as part of an investigation opened after a masseuse filed a complaint. The incidents allegedly occurred at a hotel in Porticcio, where the young woman recounts inappropriate behavior during a massage session.
The investigation, opened for sexual harassment and indecent exposure, led to the singer’s questioning. He immediately contested the accusations. A few months later, the case was closed without charges, due to insufficient evidence to constitute an offense.
At the time, the case generated a strong reaction in Corsica, due to the artist’s fame and the local context of his visit.
This memory resurfaces and fuels discussions online today.
Instagram and TikTok revive old statements
Another significant phenomenon: the resurgence of archives. On Instagram, a feminist content creator sees her video widely shared. In it, she revisits an old interview of Patrick Bruel on a show hosted by Thierry Ardisson.
In front of the camera, she analyzes several statements made by the singer about seduction, noting in particular a view of women described as “easy to seduce.”
These statements, at the time, did not provoke any particular reaction.
Patrick Bruel assures AFP, through his lawyer Christophe Ingrain, that he has “never sought to coerce anyone into a sexual act”. The famous singer asserts that he has “never disregarded a refusal, never forced a gesture or a sexual encounter.”
