The official video of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games opening ceremony has been taken down from the Olympics YouTube channel following mixed reactions and criticism of the event.
Metro UK reports that the Paris 2024 Olympic Games kicked off with a grand opening ceremony along the River Seine on Friday, showcasing a blend of French culture, artistry, and athleticism. However, the event has sparked controversy for its bizarre imagery mocking Christians. As controvery began to rage, the video of the opening ceremonies was deleted from the Olympics YouTube channel.
The ceremony featured athletes floating along the Seine, introducing themselves to the world. While this approach drew attention, some viewers found it lengthy and tedious. The event also included appearances by sporting legends such as Zinedine Zidane, Serena Williams, Rafael Nadal, and Nadia Comaneci, adding star power to the proceedings.
What truly caused controversy was the non-sporting performances, which included a fashion show, an interpretation of Leonardo da Vinci’s “The Last Supper,” featuring drag queens, and a metal horse galloping down the Seine carrying the Olympic flag. One particularly notable act featured actor Phillippe Katerine as a blue-painted Greek god of wine, Dionysus, emerging from a banquet table.
The ceremony also included a heavy metal performance by the band Gojira, introduced by a headless Marie Antoinette figure. This eclectic mix of performances has garnered both praise and criticism from viewers worldwide.
The removal of the full-length video from the Olympics YouTube channel is surprising, especially considering that ceremonies from previous Olympics, including London 2012, Rio 2016, and Beijing 2022, remain available on the platform.
Some of the criticism focused on religious sensitivities. Elon Musk described the ceremony as “extremely disrespectful to Christians.”
This was extremely disrespectful to Christians
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 26, 2024
American Catholic Bishop Robert Barron expressed his disappointment, stating: “I love the Olympics, so I turn on the opening ceremony of the Olympics. And what do I see now? It’s in Paris, France, a city I love, I spent three years as a doctoral student there. I see this gross mockery of the last supper and I won’t describe it any further.”
In response to the controversy, Phillippe Katerine, who portrayed Dionysus, stated to BFM TV, “It wouldn’t be fun if there were no controversy. Wouldn’t it be boring if everyone agreed on this planet?”
Paris 2024 president Tony Estanguet defended the ceremony, emphasizing the intention to showcase French values and principles. He stated, “We imagined a ceremony to show our values and our principles so we gave a very committed message. The idea was to really trigger a reflection.” Estanguet acknowledged the need to consider the international community but also stressed the importance of artistic freedom in France. He added, “We have freedom of expression in France and we wanted to protect it.”
Despite the controversy, some elements of the ceremony received praise. The performance by Gojira, who delivered a metal version of “Ah! Ça Ira” alongside opera singer Marina Viotti, was particularly well-received. The band later shared their excitement on Instagram, calling it a “once in a lifetime experience.”
Read more at Metro UK here.
Lucas Nolan is a reporter for Breitbart News covering issues of free speech and online censorship.