Despite some calls for cancellation, the show goes on for Lomepal. Targeted by an investigation for rape, the phenomenon of French rap occurred on Sunday on the stage of the Electronic Beaches festival in Cannes in the Alpes-Maritimes.
Antoine Valentinelli, his real name, was performing for the first time in public since the Paris prosecutor’s office confirmed on Thursday that a rape investigation had been opened for facts which allegedly occurred in 2017. He had denied the rape accusations on Thursday .
Boos from a dozen feminists
During his performance in Cannes, barely disturbed by the boos of a dozen feminists, the singer, black cap screwed on his head and t-shirt of the same color, made no allusion to his legal situation. Several thousand people, with a largely female audience, cheered him on his arrival and followed his performance, which lasted more than an hour, dancing on the beach where the stage of this festival is located. electro music.
The Family Planning 06 association (Alpes-Maritimes) and the We all collective, present in the aisles of the festival in a “Safe” space, had tried to have the Lomepal concert canceled, without success. “We asked for his deprogramming because his presence contributes to the culture of rape which minimizes sexual violence”, explained Camille Privat, prevention facilitator within Family Planning. “We hear the inability of the festival to deprogram it, but faced with these contract problems, we would like that to be able to change so that it does not happen again”, added the young woman.
“Presumption of guilt” versus “benefit of the doubt”
With a dozen other activists, they tried, at the start of the concert, to make their voices heard by booing the singer. They had covered their arms and legs with accusatory messages: “And the presumption of guilt? or “Angry women, Lomepal on stage”. In a press release published on Saturday, the organizers of the festival had declared, faced with the will of the artist and his management to maintain his performance, wanting to “honor their contractual commitments”.
“I like his songs, I came for the music and I give him the benefit of the doubt while waiting for the court’s decision,” said Juliette, 26, preferring to remain anonymous. “Between the man and the artist, I make an incredible difference, otherwise I won’t listen to Gainsbourg”, also indicated Marie Leray, 30, a specialized educator. “He must benefit from the presumption of innocence, but if justice acts that there has been a problem, we will have to be careful,” said Thomas Diop, a 30-year-old audiologist.