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| Dieudonne: Hollande backs Nantes and Tours bans | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Nantes and Tours have become the latest French cities to ban a show by controversial comic 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. |
| Dieudonne, who has six convictions for hate speech against Jews, had been due to open his tour in Nantes on Thursday. | Dieudonne, who has six convictions for hate speech against Jews, had been due to open his tour in Nantes on Thursday. |
| Bordeaux and Marseille had already cancelled performances. | Bordeaux and Marseille had already cancelled performances. |
| President Francois Hollande earlier urged French officials to enforce an order authorising the ban, but Dieudonne has vowed to appeal. | President Francois Hollande earlier urged French officials to enforce an order authorising the ban, but Dieudonne has vowed to appeal. |
| The comic has quipped about gas chambers and is accused of deriding Holocaust survivors and victims. | The comic 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, instead describing it as an anti-establishment sign. | |
| It made headlines in the UK in late December when used by West Bromwich Albion footballer Nicolas Anelka during a goal celebration. | |
| The striker said the gesture had been "a dedication to Dieudonne", not an anti-Semitic 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. |
| 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". | 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". |
| Dieudonne's one-man show, The Wall, is said to contain a string of derogatory references to Jews. | Dieudonne's one-man show, The Wall, is said to contain a string of derogatory references to Jews. |
| 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. | 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. |
| Authorities in Bordeaux and Marseille were the first to act, banning the comedian's 26 January show on Monday. | Authorities in Bordeaux and Marseille were the first to act, banning the comedian's 26 January show on Monday. |
| But he remains booked to play at a series of French venues until June. | 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. | 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. | "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." | "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. |