French minister punishes sex harassment at military school

Parly said: “It’s only a minority (of people), but a minority that tarnishes our institution.” (Photo: Florence Parly / Twitter)

PARIS – The French defense minister says she has taken strong measures to respond to reports of sexual harassment at a top military academy.

Defence Minister Florence Parly told lawmakers on Wednesday that the sanctions include expelling some students and replacing some staff members at the Saint-Cyr school in Brittany.

Parly said: “It’s only a minority (of people), but a minority that tarnishes our institution.”

France’s Liberation newspaper reported last month that a group of male students made repeated sexist comments and engaged in other harassing behaviour with the aim of pushing female students out of the school.

The academy first accepted women cadets in 1983

Originally founded by Napoleon Bonaparte, Saint-Cyr trains France’s future army officers as well as foreign students, especially from the United States and the United Kingdom.