Paris Olympics organizers say sorry for offense, but insist opening ceremony did not depict "The Last Supper"
Culture,LGBTQ Issues,Christianity,Last Supper,International Olympic Committee,Paris Olympics
The organizers behind the Paris Olympics apologized to anyone who was offended by a tableau that evoked Leonardo da Vinci's "The Last Supper" during Friday's opening ceremony and provoked outrage by religious conservatives around the world. The organizers, however, defended the concept behind it.
Da Vinci's painting depicts the moment when Jesus Christ declared that an apostle would betray him. The scene during Friday's ceremony on the Debilly Bridge featured DJ and producer Barbara Butch — an LGBTQ+ icon who calls herself a "love activist." Butch was wearing a silver headdress that looked like a halo as she got the party going on a footbridge across the Seine. Drag artists, dancers and others flanked Butch on both sides.
Related Coverage
AllSides Picks
Headline Roundup
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul Faces Criticism for Wearing Hijab at Islamic Center
September 3rd, 2026
Headline Roundup
John Galliano Exhibition at Met Museum Canceled After Backlash Over Antisemitic Comments
August 31st, 2026
News
Tracking Trump’s Campaign Promises
AllSides Staff
September 2nd, 2026
Bias
Media Bias Alert: The DOJ Revokes Its ‘Integration Mandate’ for People With Disabilities
Malayna J. Bizier
September 2nd, 2026