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Hollande urges ban on 'anti-Semitic' Dieudonne show French cities ban Dieudonne show, backed by Hollande
(about 1 hour later)
President Francois Hollande has urged French officials to enforce an order banning performances by controversial comedian Dieudonne M'bala M'bala. Nantes and Tours have become the latest French cities to ban a show by controversial comic Dieudonne M'bala M'bala.
Mr Hollande urged officials to be "inflexible" in cancelling the show on public order grounds. Dieudonne, who has six convictions for hate speech against Jews, had been due to open his tour in Nantes on Thursday.
Dieudonne's one-man show, The Wall, is said to contain anti-Semitic material. Bordeaux and Marseille had already cancelled performances.
But Dieudonne has vowed to appeal against the ban, using France's powerful legal provisions defending freedom of speech. President Francois Hollande earlier urged French officials to enforce an order authorising the ban, but Dieudonne has vowed to appeal.
Dieudonne has six convictions for hate speech against Jews. The comic has quipped about gas chambers and is accused of deriding Holocaust survivors and victims.
He has quipped about gas chambers and is accused of deriding Holocaust survivors and victims.
But he denies his trademark "quenelle" gesture is an inverted Nazi salute.But he denies his trademark "quenelle" gesture is an inverted Nazi salute.
'Risky' move'Risky' move
On Monday, Interior Minister Manuel Valls said he had advised city mayors and police prefects that Dieudonne's show could be banned if it was deemed to present a threat to public order.On Monday, Interior Minister Manuel Valls said he had advised city mayors and police prefects that Dieudonne's show could be banned if it was deemed to present a threat to public order.
Authorities in the south-western city of Bordeaux were the first to act, banning the comedian's 26 January show for undisclosed reasons. The mayor of Tours had later followed suit, said local media. Mr Hollande weighed into the furore on Tuesday, urging "the representatives of the state - in particular the prefects - to be vigilant and inflexible" in the face of "all the violations of the principles of the Republic".
But Dieudonne is first due to perform this Thursday in the western city of Nantes - 5,000 tickets are said to have been sold in a reflection of the comedian's popularity in spite of his notoriety. Dieudonne's one-man show, The Wall, is said to contain a string of derogatory references to Jews.
Authorities there have yet to announce any decision to ban the show. In a reflection of the comedian's popularity in spite of his notoriety, 5,000 tickets had already reportedly been sold for the Nantes performance.
Now Mr Hollande has weighed into the furore, urging "the representatives of the state - in particular the prefects - to be vigilant and inflexible" in the face of "all the violations of the principles of the Republic". Authorities in Bordeaux and Marseille were the first to act, banning the comedian's 26 January show on Monday.
But Dieudonne's lawyer, Jacques Verdier, said his client would immediately appeal against any ban on him performing. But he remains booked to play at a series of French venues until June.
Dieudonne's lawyer, Jacques Verdier, said his client would immediately appeal against any ban on him performing, using France's powerful legal provisions defending freedom of speech.
"Freedom of expression is not at the whim of governments or a comedian," the comic's legal team said in a statement, according to Reuters news agency.
"It is what makes it possible to do what is hardest between humans - notably to say what you feel to someone."
Critics fear the government's moves to ban Dieudonne could backfire, particularly if they are overturned on legal grounds, and risk cementing his cult status.Critics fear the government's moves to ban Dieudonne could backfire, particularly if they are overturned on legal grounds, and risk cementing his cult status.
"Rather than embarking on pre-emptive bans with a shaky legal foundation and uncertain political results, the authorities should concentrate on punishing crimes once they are committed," said France's Human Rights League (LDH) in a statement on Monday."Rather than embarking on pre-emptive bans with a shaky legal foundation and uncertain political results, the authorities should concentrate on punishing crimes once they are committed," said France's Human Rights League (LDH) in a statement on Monday.