Several legal proceedings targeting Patrick Bruel are underway in France and Belgium surrounding accusations of sexual violence. The singer is targeted by twelve complaintsincluding one filed in Belgium, according to information from investigations and testimonies relayed by the press. The plaintiffs denounce alleged acts classified as rape, sexual assault and attempted raperelating to events which took place over several years. The singer is also implicated by around thirty women as part of investigations published by Mediapart et Elle. Among the testimonies is notably that of the journalist and host Flavie Flament, who accuses the artist of rape when she was a minor, accusations that Patrick Bruel contests.
A suspension decided by the city of Liège
The city of Liège has made official the suspension of honorary citizenship attributed to Patrick Bruel. On Friday May 22, the city’s mayor (mayor), Willy Demeyer, declared that he had “made the decision to suspend the status of honorary citizen” of the singer. At the RTBF microphone, the elected official specifies that the decision constitutes a suspension and not a withdrawal : “while awaiting developments in the case and respecting the presumption of innocence”, adding: “depending on developments, we will see what will happen“. He also indicates that this decision was taken in agreement with his municipal body.
Willy Demeyer also points out, according to RTL Info, that “the city of Liège has always been particularly attentive to the respect owed to women, and to respect for the presumption of innocence as well“. The decision comes after a questioning of the DéFI group in the province of Liège, which had sent a letter to the local authorities. In this letter, the elected officials believe that “when a city publicly honors a person targeted by serious accusations, it sends a political signal“, also wondering about “the consistency between the values displayed by Liège and the symbols it chooses.”
Des concerts déjà contestés
This affair comes at a time when Patrick Bruel must soon return to the concert route. The singer is due to launch his new tour on June 16 with three dates scheduled at the Cirque d’Hiver in Paris, before a series of performances planned in several French cities, but also in Switzerland and Belgium. Among the events announced are the Bastogne Summer Festival as well as a concert planned in Forest, in the Brussels-Capital region. In this context, the mayor of Forest, Charles Spapens, called on May 21 for the cancellation of the singer’s concerts, asking the artist or organizers to take responsibility. A position that joins those of several French mayors who have already made similar requests in their municipalities in recent weeks.
