French President Emmanuel Macron has clarified comments he made last year about Gérard Depardieu which seemed to suggest his support for the actor in the face of a tide of sexual assault accusations, which the latter has denied.
Speaking in an interview with French women’s magazine Elle, published on Wednesday, Macron suggested his comments had been misinterpreted and that he was not “complacent” about the issues around sexual harassment and abuse. “I just a want a respect for our principles, such as the presumption of innocence.
These same principles which will allow justice to rule next October and that is a good thing.” he said. Depardieu is due to be tried in October on charges of sexual assault on two women on a film set in 2021, while accusations of sexual assault and rape by actress Charlotte Arnould are also making their way through the courts.
In the backdrop a number of other women have accused Depardieu of sexual harassment and abuse. The actor has denied all the allegations.
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