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French comedian at centre of Nicolas Anelka row faces ban French comedian at centre of Nicolas Anelka row faces ban
(about 1 hour later)
Authorities in French cities are considering a ban on a one-man show by the controversial French comedian Dieudonné M'bala M'bala, whose provocative downward version of a Nazi salute was performed on an English Premier League football ground by his friend Nicolas Anelka. Authorities in French cities are considering a ban on a one-man show by the controversial French comedian Dieudonné M'bala M'bala – generally known simply as Dieudonné – whose provocative downward version of a Nazi salute was performed during an English Premier League football match by his friend Nicolas Anelka.
Dieudonné has popularised the gesture, known in French as the quenelle, although he denies that it is antisemitic and racist. He claims that the salute, which combines a downward Nazi salute with an obscene gesture meaning "up yours", is anti-establishment. Anelka, who saluted on Saturday with the quenelle after scoring a goal for West Bromwich Albion in a match broadcast on French television, is being investigated by the Football Association and his gesture triggered a furious reaction in France. Dieudonné has popularised the gesture, known in French as the quenelle, although he denies that it is antisemitic and racist. He claims that the salute, which combines a downward Nazi salute with an obscene gesture meaning "up yours", is anti-establishment. Anelka, who made the gesture on Saturday after scoring a goal for West Bromwich Albion in a match broadcast on French television, is being investigated by the Football Association and his gesture triggered a furious reaction in France.
The sports minister, Valérie Fourneyron, described Anelka's gesture as a "shocking and sickening provocation". Her rightwing predecessor, Chantal Jouanno, on Sunday demanded sanctions against the 34-year-old French striker. "The quenelle is a Nazi gesture, which is clearly antisemitic and known to be such. There's no point in arguing about the interpretation," she told Europe 1 radio. Jewish student leaders and the rector of the Grand Mosque in Paris on Sunday strongly condemned the use of the salute, which has gone viral on the internet. The sports minister, Valérie Fourneyron, described Anelka's gesture as a "shocking and sickening provocation", and on Sunday her rightwing predecessor, Chantal Jouanno, demanded sanctions against the 34-year-old French striker. "The quenelle is a Nazi gesture that is clearly antisemitic and known to be such. There's no point in arguing about the interpretation," she told Europe 1 radio. Jewish student leaders and the rector of the Grand Mosque in Paris condemned the use of the salute by Anelka, footage of which has gone viral on the internet.
Anelka's gesture, which he described on Twitter as "a special dedication to my friend Dieudonné", came after the French interior minister, Manuel Valls, announced that he would seek a legal ban on the French comedian's shows on the grounds that they represented a threat to public order. Dieudonné is currently performing to full houses in a Paris theatre before taking his show across France from 9 January. In an interview with Le Parisien on Saturday, Valls said that the last straw had been Dieudonné's attacks on Jewish journalists. In a recent show, Dieudonné said of the journalist Patrick Cohen, who asked him last week whether journalists were giving him too much attention, that "when I hear Patrick Cohen speaking, I say to myself, you see, the gas chambers … too bad [they no longer exist]". Anelka's gesture, which he described on Twitter as "a special dedication to my friend Dieudonné", came after the French interior minister, Manuel Valls, announced he would seek a legal ban on the French comedian's shows on the grounds that they were a threat to public order. Dieudonné is performing to full houses in a Paris theatre before taking his show across France from 9 January. In an interview with Le Parisien on Saturday, Valls said the last straw had been Dieudonné's attacks on Jewish journalists. In a recent show, Dieudonné said of the journalist Patrick Cohen, who asked him last week whether journalists were giving him too much attention, that "when I hear Patrick Cohen speaking, I say to myself, you see, the gas chambers … too bad [they no longer exist]".
Valls said: "Freedom of expression is sacred, but racism and antisemitism are crimes." Anticipating the formal move by the interior minister, authorities in cities where Dieudonné is due to perform, including Marseille and Bordeaux, are already examining the possibility of a ban. Caen, Montbéliard and Nice have withdrawn from his tour, which originally had 27 venues. Tickets for the Marseille show were no longer available on Sunday.Valls said: "Freedom of expression is sacred, but racism and antisemitism are crimes." Anticipating the formal move by the interior minister, authorities in cities where Dieudonné is due to perform, including Marseille and Bordeaux, are already examining the possibility of a ban. Caen, Montbéliard and Nice have withdrawn from his tour, which originally had 27 venues. Tickets for the Marseille show were no longer available on Sunday.
Dieudonné has been fined for inciting racial hatred and hate speech on several occasions, and last month was ordered to pay €28,000 for mocking the Holocaust in a song. But his lawyer, Jacques Verdier, said it would be impossible to ban Dieudonné's shows.Dieudonné has been fined for inciting racial hatred and hate speech on several occasions, and last month was ordered to pay €28,000 for mocking the Holocaust in a song. But his lawyer, Jacques Verdier, said it would be impossible to ban Dieudonné's shows.
Other legal experts shared that view. "How can judges ban a show on the grounds that it could become a meeting to promote racism and antisemitism?" the lawyer Bernard Fau wrote in the weekly Journal du Dimanche. Other legal experts agreed. "How can judges ban a show on the grounds that it could become a meeting to promote racism and antisemitism?" the lawyer Bernard Fau wrote in the weekly Journal du Dimanche.
Dieudonné has hundreds of thousands of supporters, despite his openly antisemitic stance. He has described Holocaust commemorations as "memorial pornography". Two hundred people gathered on Saturday night outside the theatre where the comedian was performing, demanding the resignation of Valls. Authorities acknowledge that even if a physical ban were in place, the comedian would continue to perform via the internet. Dieudonné has described Holocaust commemorations as "memorial pornography", but has hundreds of thousands of supporters, despite his openly antisemitic stance. Two hundred people gathered on Saturday night outside the theatre where the comedian was performing, demanding the resignation of Valls. Authorities acknowledge that even if a physical ban were in place, the comedian would continue to perform via the internet.
Dieudonné, whose father was from Cameroon, has seen his popularity ebb and flow during a long career as standup comedian, actor and would-be politician. He originally took a stand against the National Front, and threatened to run for the French presidency, before switching sides. He founded the Anti-Zionist Movement, which fielded candidates in the 2009 European elections.Dieudonné, whose father was from Cameroon, has seen his popularity ebb and flow during a long career as standup comedian, actor and would-be politician. He originally took a stand against the National Front, and threatened to run for the French presidency, before switching sides. He founded the Anti-Zionist Movement, which fielded candidates in the 2009 European elections.
The quenelleThe quenelle
One hand points stiffly downwards, while the other is raised across the chest. The gesture, known as the quenelle in French, is a mixture of an inverted Nazi salute and "up yours".One hand points stiffly downwards, while the other is raised across the chest. The gesture, known as the quenelle in French, is a mixture of an inverted Nazi salute and "up yours".
Dieudonné first used the gesture publicly during the campaign of his Anti-Zionist Movement in the 2009 European elections, and displayed it on his campaign literature. Since then, it has become his trademark, reproduced all over the internet, and particularly among the comedian's 400,000 friends on Facebook. He is counting on the gesture's ambiguity to say that it is a rebellion against the establishment. His critics say there is no such ambiguity and that it is openly antisemitic.Dieudonné first used the gesture publicly during the campaign of his Anti-Zionist Movement in the 2009 European elections, and displayed it on his campaign literature. Since then, it has become his trademark, reproduced all over the internet, and particularly among the comedian's 400,000 friends on Facebook. He is counting on the gesture's ambiguity to say that it is a rebellion against the establishment. His critics say there is no such ambiguity and that it is openly antisemitic.
Earlier this month, a hacker broke into Dieudonné's website and stole the personal details of thousands of people performing the quenelle. They reportedly included civil servants and police officers. In September, two soldiers were photographed doing a quenelle outside a synagogue. There is no legal ban on the hand signal.Earlier this month, a hacker broke into Dieudonné's website and stole the personal details of thousands of people performing the quenelle. They reportedly included civil servants and police officers. In September, two soldiers were photographed doing a quenelle outside a synagogue. There is no legal ban on the hand signal.
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