The Patrick Bruel affair has seen a spectacular acceleration in recent weeks. Since the accusations were made public in the spring, several women spoke to denounce alleged acts of sexual violence dating back to different periods of the singer’s career. Among them, the host Flavie Flament who accused him of rape when she was only 16 years old. In the columns of Médiapart at the beginning of June, numerous testimonies from volunteers and those responsible for Bastards have strengthened the trouble facing this affair by evoking the singer’s behavior behind the scenes of tours of the troopof which Patrick Bruel has long been one of the essential figures.
New accusations were then added to the file. At the beginning of June, two new complaints of rape concerning alleged acts dating back to 2000 and 2008 were filed. At the same time, an actress publicly accused the artist of an attempted rape which allegedly occurred in 2000, the day after the filming of a music video. The latter ensures file a complaint “to bring” son “support for other victims”.
Placed in police custody for 48 hours, the 67-year-old singer was finally indicted this Wednesday, June 10 for rape, attempted rape, sexual assault and sexual harassment. Patrick Bruel, who contests all the accusations, was released under judicial supervision. He remains presumed innocent in this affair which continues to shake up the world of entertainment.
Patrick Bruel “trapped for money”? : his neighbors doubt the accusations
Since the indictment of Patrick Bruel, discussions have multiplied in the streets of Neuilly-sur-Seine, where the singer has a large apartment. In this upscale district of Hauts-de-Seine, the affair quickly became part of the conversation. LeP Parisien went to collect their words. Observation, among neighbors as well as fans, opinions are divided.
Some residents place the affair in the long term of Patrick Bruel’s career. This seems to be the case for the oldest. A 68-year-old resident, who says she knew him at the time of his popularity, comes to his defense: “We should put things in their context, that of the freedom we had at the time”. She continues: “We could do whatever we wanted. I support Patrick 100%“. She goes so far as to distinguish “real rape, unhealthy rape” et “a heavy way of flirting” what could the singer practice. A septuagenarian reacts strongly: “If he has done serious things, it is normal that he is punished, but for the moment, I find that all of this is horrible. People have thrown themselves at him like misery at the world”. She also mentions “a new Dreyfus affair”.
In the same spirit, Ella (her first name has been changed, editor’s note), a Filipino domestic worker working in the neighborhood, reports: “I know he’s accused of rape because my bosses talked to me about it a lot.” And to add : “They also said that he’s a rich man and someone tried to trap him because he had money“. Ella does not comment on the existence of young girls who “extort money from powerful men”she thinks on the other hand of the powerful men who “extort favors from young girls”.
Patrick Bruel: according to a neighbor, “he boasted of having had 700 daughters”
Another 52-year-old local resident is much more suspicious than her older neighbors of the star: “I heard he bragged about having had 700 daughters.” she declares before adding, in tune with the singer Zazie: “In my opinion, there is no smoke without fire”. The neighbor of Léon and Oscar’s father believes French justice is not harsh enough”for sexual violence and violence against minors”. “I think that It doesn’t hurt, from time to time, to have collective examples. It made others think.” she concludes. Time will tell.
