In June 2020, the French street artist Combo accused Jean-Luc Mélenchon and his France Unbowed party of using one of his murals in their campaign clips without his permission. A Paris court has ordered them to pay 40,000 euros to the artist, his lawyer said.
The work entitled La Marianne asiatique (Asian Marianne), was created by street artist Combo in early 2017 on Boulevard du Temple in Paris.
The mural depicts a Marianne - French republican symbol - with her right breast bared carrying a tricolour flag with the slogan "Liberté, Egalité, Humanité".
In June 2020, the artist accused Jean-Luc Mélenchon of using the mural without his permission in France Unbowed party (LFI) campaign clips.
Before the Paris Court of Appeal, he claimed more than 900,000 euros from the political leader and his party for "counterfeiting, infringement of his copyright and moral prejudice".
Combo "complained mainly about the political exploitation of his work and damage to his reputation," his lawyer explained.
Street artists copyright
Jean-Luc Mélenchon and his party will have to pay €15,000 in respect of the "moral prejudice", 15,000 euros in legal costs and €5,000 from the party and Melenchon each "in compensation for his financial prejudice", according to the Paris Court of Appeal ruling dated 5 July.
Combo's "victory is historic, as it is the first jurisprudence in France to protect a street art work under copyright law", the artist's lawyer explained.
(with newswires)
