France, Sept. 18 -- Ten people linked to extreme-right group Les Natifs (The Natives) have been fined for aggravated public insult against French-Malian singer Aya Nakamura. The Paris criminal court rejected the prosecution's request for convictions on the more serious charge of incitement to hatred.

Thirteen defendants went on trial in June on charges of publicly inciting racial hatred against Nakamura after they unveiled a banner on the banks of the Seine in March 2024 that read: "No way Aya, this is Paris, not the Bamako market" - a reference to Mali's capital, where the singer was born.

The stunt followed rumours Nakamura would take part in the Paris Games opening ceremony, which she did.

The group posted the image on social media ...