The official video of the opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games has been removed from the Olympics’ YouTube channel following mixed reactions and criticism of the event.
Metro UK Reports The 2024 Paris Olympics kicked off on Friday with a spectacular opening ceremony along the Seine, showcasing France’s mix of culture, arts and sport. But the event has been mired in controversy over a bizarre image mocking Christians. Videos of the opening ceremony were removed from the Olympics’ YouTube channel as the controversy began to intensify.
The ceremony saw the athletes introduce themselves to the world as they floated along the Seine, an eye-catching display that some viewers found lengthy and tedious, and also featured appearances by sporting legends such as Zinedine Zidane, Serena Williams, Rafael Nadal and Nadia Comaneci, adding star power to the proceedings.
It was the non-sporting performances that really created a stir: a fashion show, a drag queen interpretation of Leonardo da Vinci’s “The Last Supper,” a metal horse carrying the Olympic flag galloping down the Seine, etc. One standout performance was when actor Philippe Catherine emerged from a banquet table as Dionysus, the Greek god of wine, painted blue.
The ceremony also featured a heavy metal performance by the band Gojira, introduced by a headless statue of Marie Antoinette, a colorful performance that drew both praise and criticism from audiences around the world.
The removal of full-length videos from the Olympics’ YouTube channel comes as a surprise, especially given that ceremonies from previous Olympic Games, including London 2012, Rio 2016 and Beijing 2022, remain available to watch on the platform.
Some of the criticism has focused on religious sensitivities, with Elon Musk calling the ceremony “highly disrespectful to Christians.”
This is extremely disrespectful to Christians.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 26, 2024
US Catholic Bishop Robert Barron expressed his disappointment, saying: “I watch the opening ceremony of the Olympics because I love the Olympics. And what do I see now? It’s in Paris, France, a place I love, where I spent three years as a doctoral student. I see a terrible mockery of the Last Supper, and I don’t want to say any more.”
Responding to the controversy, Philippe Catherine, who plays Dionysus, told BFM TV, “It wouldn’t be interesting without the controversy. It would be boring if everyone on the planet agreed, right?”
Paris 2024 president Tony Estanguet defended the ceremony, stressing its intention to showcase France’s values and principles. “We envisioned a ceremony that showcased our values and principles, sending a very strong message, the aim was really to prompt reflection,” he said. Estanguet acknowledged the need to take the international community into account, but also stressed the importance of artistic freedom in France. “In France we have freedom of expression and we want to protect it,” he added.
Despite the controversy, parts of the ceremony were praised, particularly Gojira’s performance, which featured a metal version of “Ah! Ça Ira” alongside opera singer Marina Viotti. The band later shared their excitement on Instagram, calling it a “once-in-a-lifetime experience.”
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Lucas Nolan is a reporter for Breitbart News covering free speech and online censorship.
