UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson’s alleged killer, Luigi Mangione, has amassed levels of public support not usually enjoyed by murder suspects. Considered by many a hero, supporters raised money for his defense, while many seemed more interested in his good looks than his supposed criminal deeds.
The list of weird things about Luigi Mangione and his alleged shooting grows weirder still, though, as TikTok detectives think that Mangione has received support from France and the Olympics. A video clip of the Paris Olympics opening ceremony has resurfaced, featuring a segment where a depiction of Marie Antoinette is holding her head during a song by the metal band Gojira.
The connection of Marie Antoinette with Brian Thompson’s killing seems at first tenuous, as what does an 18th century French aristocrat have to do with a U.S. healthcare CEO in 2024? But many commentators see a connection between the massive levels of income and wealth inequality in France at the time of the Revolution to the situation in the USA in 2024.
At the time of the French Revolution, 1% of the population held around 60% of the country’s wealth. In the modern USA, the top 1% is estimated to hold around 30% of the country’s wealth according to the U.S. Federal Reserve, with 79% belonging to millionaires and billionaires. These figures make for stark reading for the vast majority of Americans, who see the privilege and wealth flaunted by figures across a range of industries — who then go on to deny them necessary healthcare.
Experiences of America’s for-profit healthcare system and a deeply divided country, where the “haves” have it all, and the “have nots” have nothing, bring to mind some of the terrible conditions which led to the French Revolution. Hence the connection between Marie Antoinette and Brian Thompson, both individuals at the tops of their respective societies.
Many TikTok users who saw the clip after Thompson’s killing felt the reemergence of the clip was timely, given recent events, with one commenting, “The timing is interesting.” Others spoke about the TikTok algorithm or suggested that TikTok had something to say with comments such as “ok tik tok algorithm…” and “tiktok is telling us somethinnnn.”
Though some users suggested that France was showing approval over recent events in the U.S., with comments like “France subtly hinting approval?” this is unlikely. That said, the “timely” reappearance of the video may not be a coincidence after all. It wouldn’t be too surprising if the video had been amplified purposely: Reports have suggested that TikTok’s behavior and practices often align with the Chinese Communist Party’s strategic goals, including manipulation of content served in different jurisdictions. TikTok has also been caught out serving propaganda to users before.
Still, the parallels between Revolutionary France and modern America do exist, and it’s understandable that many in the country would recognize them. Luigi Mangione and his alleged killing of Brian Thomspon struck a real chord in American society. Mangione, whose family has links to the healthcare industry, was found with a manifesto that resonated with the nation’s people. From this perspective, it’s no surprise that the case is taking on a life of its own, as the event settles into the American psyche.