On Monday, US Republican presidential candidate and former president Donald Trump blasted the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics, calling it a “disgrace.” His remarks came in response to criticism directed at the ceremony’s creators, who were accused of pushing the show past its permissible limits. This happened after Catholic organizations and French bishops had a scene including dancers, drag queens, and a DJ instances reminiscent of the ‘Last Supper’. The designers have stated that the picture was not meant to represent a religious occasion.
Controversial Performance Sparks Backlash
The creative director of the ceremony, Thomas Jolly, stated that the scenario was inspired by Greek mythology and the Feast of Dionysus, the Greek deity of wine. Philippe Katerine, a vocalist dressed almost entirely in blue body paint, played the Greek God. Jolly made it clear that he was not inspired by the renowned biblical account.
Political Leaders Voice Disapproval
Trump has now criticized the act for being inappropriate. “I mean, they can accomplish some stuff. “I thought it was terrible,” he explained. “Look, I am for everybody.” I am very open-minded, but I thought what they did was a disgrace.”
House Speaker Mike Johnson, took to X, saying, “Last night’s mockery of the Last Supper was shocking and insulting to Christian people around the world who watched the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games.” “The battle over our faith and traditional values has no boundaries nowadays. But we are confident that truth and decency will always win,” he stated.
Apology and Clarification from Organizers
The Olympic organizers apologized to anyone who was offended and stated that they had no intention of disrespecting anyone’s religion. “Clearly, there was no attempt to demonstrate disrespect to any religious organization. On the contrary, I believe [with] Thomas Jolly, we truly attempted to honor communal tolerance,” spokesperson Anne Descamps stated during a press conference on Sunday, June 28.
About the Author
Ms Yogya Reddy is an undergraduate student at the University of Massachusetts, Boston, USA, studying International Relations and affairs. She is passionate about global democracy and politics. She also enjoys working on research and writing.
