The DJ at the center of the controversial Paris Olympics' Opening Ceremony performance that sparked outrage has fired back.
In case you missed it, the highly-anticipated sporting event kicked off on Friday (July 26) with a rather unique Opening Ceremony that took place on the River Seine.
The event had a fashion runway segment that showed an apparent depiction of Leonardo da Vinci’s The Last Supper painting, featuring French DJ Barbara Butch and drag performers.
The performance drew complaints on social media from Christian groups, who branded the ceremony as "blasphemous," and prominent conservatives including ex-president Donald Trump.
Due to the backlash, Thomas Jolly, the ceremony's director, denied claims that the scene represented the Last Supper, explaining that his inspiration came from the Feast of Dionysus, the Greek god of wine.
“My wish isn’t to be subversive, nor to mock or to shock,” he said, as cited by News.com.au. “Most of all, I wanted to send a message of love, a message of inclusion and not at all to divide.”
The Paris 2024 spokeswoman Anne Descamps spoke out too, telling reporters on Sunday (July 28): "Clearly there was never an intention to show disrespect to any religious group. If people have taken any offense, we are of course really, really sorry."
Now, one of the participants of the controversial performance has addressed the outrage, revealing that they will take legal action due to the torrent of threats and abuse that they have suffered in the ceremony's wake.
Butch, who is a lesbian activist and served as a celebrity guest judge in Drag Race France, shared a statement through her attorney Audrey Msellati, writing: “Since the opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, artist, DJ, and activist Barbara Butch has been the target of an extremely violent campaign of cyber-harassment and defamation.
“She has been threatened with death, torture, and rape, and has also been the target of numerous anti-Semitic, homophobic, sexist, and grossophobic insults. Barbara Butch condemns this vile hatred directed at her, what she represents, and what she stands for," they continued.
The statement concluded: “She is today filing several complaints against these acts, whether committed by French nationals or foreigners and intends to prosecute anyone who tries to intimidate her in the future.”
The 43-year-old also shared some words of her own, penning: "All my life, I’ve refused to be a victim: I won’t shut up.
"I’m not afraid of those who hide behind a screen, or a pseudonym, to spew their hatred and frustrations. I will fight them without ever trembling.
"I’m committed, and I’m proud. Proud of who I am, of what I am, and of what I embody, both for my loved ones and for millions of French people. My France is France!" she added.
Another moment that was widely slammed was when a group of drag performers were positioned at a long table before singer Phillippe Katerine appeared dressed as Dionysus - the ancient Greek god of wine, winemaking, grape cultivation, fertility, ritual madness, theater, and religious ecstasy.
Katerine, a boundary-pushing actor and singer, responded to the backlash by simply saying that he was “proud” of the performance.
“It’s my culture,” he continued, per NBC News. “We’re full of different people and everyone lives their own way and, above all, has the right to do so. I loved doing it.”