French prosecutors investigate racist abuse of Kylian Mbappé by Paraguayan senator | France
Prosecutors in France have launched an investigation into a Paraguayan senator’s racist attack on Kylian Mbappé; authorities are considering whether to request that the senator be charged with gross public insult or incitement to hatred or violence.
The Paris prosecutor’s office told the Guardian on Tuesday that it opened the investigation after the French Football Federation (FFF) complained to the national body to combat online hate.
Following Paraguay’s World Cup defeat to France on Saturday, senator Celeste Amarilla of the Paraguayan Liberal Radical party posted a series of racist abuse against Mbappé on social media.
In comments described by the FFF as “completely disgusting and unacceptable”, Amarilla mocked the French captain whose penalty sent France into the quarter-finals.
Amarilla described Mbappé as “a colonized Cameroonian desperately trying to pass himself off as French” and “a savage who has not learned to write.” He added that the Paraguayan players should have slapped him after the match.
Mbappé responded soon after. “Madame Celeste Amarilla, you are a despicable woman and unworthy of your position. You do not represent Paraguay, which sweated with passion and dignity throughout the competition,” she wrote on social media.
He added that his tirade was a distraction from Paraguay’s tremendous success in the World Cup. “Because of your carelessness and brazen racism, the whole world has long forgotten the journey and historic effort your players achieved during this World Cup, giving way to an incompetent woman who gives the worst possible image of her country.”
“The remarks were allegedly made because of the real or perceived origin, ethnicity, nationality, race or religion of the victim,” the Paris prosecutor’s office said in a statement on Tuesday. It was also stated that the crimes are punishable by up to one year in prison and a fine of 45,000 euros ($51,000).
As his racist attack made headlines around the world, Amarilla published an open letter to Mbappé in French and Spanish on social media. He attempted to blame Mbappé for his remarks, citing his anger at his behavior during the match and his comments that France abandoned their “tuxedos” to play “dirty football” against Paraguay.
He said he regretted mistreating Mbappé with “the same insults” that he viewed as a mixed-race person and deleted his post.
But she used almost half of the letter to criticize Mbappé’s response, demanding an apology from the player, accusing him of committing gender-based violence in his remarks about her, and threatening legal action if he did not retract his comments. “Who are you to call me angry or despicable when you don’t even know me?” he asked.
The Paraguayan government sought to distance itself from his remarks, describing them as “contrary to the values and principles that inspire peaceful coexistence and respect for human dignity that our country supports.” He added that the senator’s comments “in no way” represent the position of the Paraguayan government or the Paraguayan people.
Among those who supported the captain was French President Emmanuel Macron. “Kylian Mbappé has another goal. This time against racism,” he said on social media. “All my support. When words are tarnished, our values respond: dignity, respect, brotherhood.”
Macron’s office said Paraguayan President Santiago Peña wrote to him to express his support and condemnation of the remarks.
France assistant coach Guy Stephan told reporters that he had not yet spoken to Mbappé about the racist abuse. But he unequivocally condemned the senator’s attack: “To put it in three words: it’s shameful, it’s disgusting, it’s ugly.”
