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| Béziers train poster: French court clears controversial ad | Béziers train poster: French court clears controversial ad |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A French court has ruled that posters showing a woman tied to train tracks did not promote violence against women. | A French court has ruled that posters showing a woman tied to train tracks did not promote violence against women. |
| The posters were put up around the town of Béziers last December to celebrate the arrival of high-speed TGV trains. They carried the caption: "With the TGV, she would have suffered less." | The posters were put up around the town of Béziers last December to celebrate the arrival of high-speed TGV trains. They carried the caption: "With the TGV, she would have suffered less." |
| The ads faced a legal challenge from a number of feminist groups and criticism by France's equality minister. | The ads faced a legal challenge from a number of feminist groups and criticism by France's equality minister. |
| But the court said they were legal, despite the questionable humour. | But the court said they were legal, despite the questionable humour. |
| The posters were launched four months after 34-year-old Emilie Hallouin died when she was tied to TGV tracks by her husband and hit by a train in a murder-suicide in northern France. | |
| Many Twitter users, including French Senator Laurence Rossignol, drew parallels between the posters and the tragic news story. | Many Twitter users, including French Senator Laurence Rossignol, drew parallels between the posters and the tragic news story. |
| A local Socialist politician called the ads "odious". | A local Socialist politician called the ads "odious". |
| But the far-right mayor of Béziers, Robert Ménard, defended his campaign, accusing critics of "political correctness" and pointing to a history of such images in old films and cartoons. | But the far-right mayor of Béziers, Robert Ménard, defended his campaign, accusing critics of "political correctness" and pointing to a history of such images in old films and cartoons. |
| The court in the southern city of Montpellier said the posters had been designed to provoke a reaction, and did not encourage violence against any specific group, including women. | The court in the southern city of Montpellier said the posters had been designed to provoke a reaction, and did not encourage violence against any specific group, including women. |
| After the French court threw out the complaint, Mr Ménard tweeted that the case had been "an inquisition in petticoats". | After the French court threw out the complaint, Mr Ménard tweeted that the case had been "an inquisition in petticoats". |