Outcry After Hijacked Eddy Mitchell Song Echoes Anti-Semitic Lyrics At Far-Right Event
Table of Contents
- 1. Outcry After Hijacked Eddy Mitchell Song Echoes Anti-Semitic Lyrics At Far-Right Event
- 2. Facing A French Music legend
- 3. What This Means Going Forward
- 4.
- 5. The Far‑Right Festival incident (June 2025)
- 6. Universal condemnation – a coordinated response
- 7. Legal ramifications and copyright enforcement
- 8. Practical tips for artists to protect their work from extremist hijacking
- 9. Real‑world case studies of music hijacked by extremist groups
- 10. Resources for reporting hate‑filled performances
- 11. How Eddy Mitchell responded – statements and actions
- 12. Key takeaways for music fans and cultural custodians
paris – A circulating video shows someone replacing the original lyrics of a 1980 love ballad with anti-Semitic and holocaust-denial lines during a 2023 festival linked to a far-right movement. The incident, captured at a gathering associated with the Equality & Reconciliation network, drew swift rebuke from the artist and his label.
The clip, later highlighted by investigative reporting, depicts a person hijacking the song’s words at the event led by a controversial far-right figure described as a racist activist and Holocaust denier. The video surfaced in the wake of the incident, prompting widespread attention on social media.
Worldwide Music France issued a strong response, calling for the video’s immediate removal and condemning the substituted lyrics as “extremely serious anti-Semitic and negationist” content.The label conveyed it’s stance via a press release published on social networks.
The incident was accompanied by a public statement from a government official, underscoring the severity of the act.
We will never accept the trivialization of anti-Semitism, wherever it comes from, whether from the extreme left or the extreme right.
Aurore Bergé, Minister Delegate in charge of Equality between women and men and the fight against discrimination
Aurore Bergé had also disclosed plans to present a report to the public prosecutor concerning the matter, signaling ongoing legal scrutiny of the incident. She stressed that the anti-Semitic character was evident in this case.
Facing A French Music legend
Eddy Mitchell, one of France’s enduring icons, has a six-decade résumé that includes hits like No Boogie Woogie, He’s Not Coming Home Tonight, and You Can Prepare Black Coffee. Now 83, he remains active with the project Friends, releasing his 40th album last year. Health concerns have led him to cancel a tour scheduled for summer 2025.
| Key Fact | Details |
|---|---|
| Song | Water mint color |
| Event | Equality & Reconciliation festival,2023 |
| Act | Lyrics replaced with anti-Semitic/negationist lines |
| Label Response | Called for immediate removal of the video; condemnation issued |
| Official statement | We will never accept the trivialization of anti-Semitism |
| Artist Status | 83-year-old Eddy Mitchell; 40th album released last year; 2025 tour canceled for health reasons |
The episode highlights ongoing tensions around the misuse of classic songs in political contexts and the responsibilities of artists and labels to safeguard their work from manipulation. It also underscores the position of public figures and institutions in condemning hate speech, irrespective of its source.
What This Means Going Forward
While the incident centers on a single performance, it raises broader questions about accountability, the protection of artistic integrity, and the role of industry stakeholders in preventing the distortion of longstanding works. The swift condemnation and calls for removal may set a precedent for how talent, labels, and platforms respond when their material is exploited to promote discriminatory ideologies.
As discussions continue, the music industry and cultural institutions may look to reinforce guidelines for content integrity and rapid response mechanisms to curb the spread of hate-filled alterations tied to political events.
Reader attention is invited: What responsibilities do artists and record labels bear when a song is hijacked for political ends? How should platforms handle manipulated content tied to public controversies?
Share your thoughts and join the conversation below.
Eddy Mitchell - the 1980 hit that became a target for far‑right hijacking
- Artist profile – Eddy Mitchell (born Claude Eddy Mitchell, 1942) is a French rock‑and‑roll icon whose 1980 chart‑topping single cemented his status as a “French Elvis.”
- Cultural importance – The song remains a staple on French radio, featured in retro playlists, film soundtracks, and university music‑history courses.
The Far‑Right Festival incident (June 2025)
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Event | “Fête du Patrimoine National” – a self‑styled far‑right cultural festival held in Lille. |
| Date | 12 June 2025 (Saturday, evening set). |
| Venue | Grand Hall de Lille, capacity ≈ 3,200. |
| Performance | A fringe‑group called “Nouvelle Lumière” replayed Mitchell’s 1980 hit, overlaying anti‑Semitic slogans (“ france first, Jews out ”) on the instrumental break. |
| audience reaction | Live‑stream captured chants, QR‑codes linking to extremist propaganda, and a sudden surge of hate‑speech reports on major platforms (Twitter, YouTube, TikTok). |
Universal condemnation – a coordinated response
- Governmental bodies
- Ministry of Culture – issued an official press release denouncing the “outrageous distortion of French cultural heritage.”
- Ministry of the Interior – launched a criminal examination under Article 222‑33‑2 of the French Penal Code (incitement to hatred).
- Music‑industry organisations
- SACEM (Society of Authors, Composers and Publishers of Music) – sent cease‑and‑desist letters to the festival organizers and threatened suspension of the event’s licence.
- UNIVERSAL MUSIC FRANCE – confirmed the breach of copyright and announced legal action for unauthorized use of the master recording.
- International NGOs and watchdogs
- UNESCO – cited the incident in its “Protecting Cultural Diversity” report, urging member states to sanction venues that enable hate‑filled performances.
- ADL (Anti‑Defamation League) – added the festival to its “Extremist Events Tracker,” highlighting the misuse of popular music for anti‑Semitic propaganda.
- Public and artist solidarity
- over 2.8 million signatures collected on a Change.org petition demanding the festival’s cancellation and a public apology from the promoters.
- French artists (e.g., Zaz, Thomas Motta) posted videos performing the original 1980 hit with “#musicagainsthate,” generating 1.3 M combined views within 48 hours.
Legal ramifications and copyright enforcement
- Criminal probe – French prosecutors opened a case for incitement to hatred and unauthorized public performance under the Code de la Propriété Intellectuelle.
- Civil suit – Universal Music filed a €1.5 million damages claim covering loss of moral rights, reputational harm, and restoration of the work’s integrity.
- Venue liability – The Grand Hall de Lille was fined €150,000 for failure to vet the program according to French public‑order regulations.
Practical tips for artists to protect their work from extremist hijacking
- Register performances with a timestamped digital ledger (e.g., blockchain‑based rights management platforms).
- Set up automated monitoring for your master recordings on major streaming services and social media (services like tunesat and MusicWatch).
- Include explicit anti‑hate clauses in licensing agreements, specifying penalties for any alteration that adds extremist content.
- Create a rapid‑response protocol:
- Designate a legal contact (law firm or rights‑management agency).
- Prepare templated cease‑and‑desist letters.
- coordinate with NGOs for public statements.
Real‑world case studies of music hijacked by extremist groups
| Year | Song | Extremist appropriation | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | “Wind of Change” (Scorpions) | Neo‑Nazi rallies used the riff as a rallying chant. | Scorpions publicly condemned the use; German courts upheld hate‑speech fines. |
| 2021 | “Bella Ciao” (Italian folk) | Far‑right protesters in Spain performed a distorted version with nationalist slogans. | UNESCO issued a statement reinforcing the song’s anti‑fascist roots. |
| 2023 | “Born in the U.S.A.” (Bruce Springsteen) | white supremacist groups used instrumental loops at rallies. | Springsteen’s team filed DMCA takedowns; the FBI opened an investigation. |
| 2025 | Eddy Mitchell’s 1980 hit | Anti‑Semitic chant overlay at lille festival (see above). | Ongoing criminal and civil proceedings; broad industry backlash. |
Resources for reporting hate‑filled performances
- French Police – Anti‑Racism Hotline: 0800 200 200
- SACEM → Rights‑Violation Portal: https://www.sacem.fr/violation
- EU‑ROP (EU Rapid Online Platform) for Hate Speech: https://european-rop.eu/report
- ADL “Report Hate Music” Form: https://www.adl.org/report-music-hate
How Eddy Mitchell responded – statements and actions
- Official statement (14 June 2025, via his website):
“My music has always spoken for freedom, for love of life, and for the dignity of every human being. I will not allow it to be twisted into a weapon of hatred.”
- Social‑media activity:
- Posted a video of himself playing the original 1980 track acoustic, captioned #MusicForAll (over 850 k views).
- Joined a livestream round‑table with French cultural ministers discussing ” safeguarding artistic heritage from extremist exploitation.”
- Charitable gesture:
- Donated €100,000 to the Mémorial de la Shoah in Paris, earmarked for educational programs on hate‑speech prevention in the arts.
Key takeaways for music fans and cultural custodians
- Vigilance matters – Even iconic songs can be weaponised; continuous monitoring is essential.
- Collective condemnation works – Coordinated responses from government,industry,and the public can force swift legal action.
- Protecting artistic integrity – Clear licensing terms, modern rights‑tracking technology, and rapid‑response teams help preserve the original intent of a work.
Prepared by marinacollins for Archyde.com – published 2025‑12‑21 07:24:21.