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| France's top court reinstates ban on comic Dieudonne | France's top court reinstates ban on comic Dieudonne |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The highest court in France has reinstated a ban on a show by controversial comic Dieudonne M'bala M'bala, just before it was due to open. | The highest court in France has reinstated a ban on a show by controversial comic Dieudonne M'bala M'bala, just before it was due to open. |
| Interior Minister Manuel Valls appealed to the Council of State to intervene minutes after a judge in the city of Nantes overturned the ban. | |
| The comic has seven convictions for anti-Semitic hate speech. | The comic has seven convictions for anti-Semitic hate speech. |
| He has already arrived at the theatre in Nantes, where more than 5,000 people were due to see the show. | He has already arrived at the theatre in Nantes, where more than 5,000 people were due to see the show. |
| Police have deployed outside the venue as a precaution. The verdict was greeted with boos, whistling and chants of Dieudonne's name by those who had gathered to see the show. | |
| The judge in Nantes had earlier said he did not regard the show, entitled The Wall, as having "an attack on human dignity as its main object". | |
| But the Council of State upheld the ban on Thursday's performance, the first on a scheduled tour, despite a challenge by the comic's lawyers saying his freedom of expression had been breached. | But the Council of State upheld the ban on Thursday's performance, the first on a scheduled tour, despite a challenge by the comic's lawyers saying his freedom of expression had been breached. |
| The president of the World Jewish Congress, Ronald Lauder, had called on France to "confront this preacher of hate head on". | The president of the World Jewish Congress, Ronald Lauder, had called on France to "confront this preacher of hate head on". |
| The government can be satisfied that a man they regard as a dangerous anti-Semite has been kept from the public arena, the BBC's Hugh Schofield reports from Paris. | |
| Dieudonne's supporters will say it is just more evidence of how he and his ideas are silenced by the system, he adds. | |
| 'Peddlers of hate' | 'Peddlers of hate' |
| French media who have sent reporters to previous performances of the The Wall say it contained a string of derogatory references to Jews. | French media who have sent reporters to previous performances of the The Wall say it contained a string of derogatory references to Jews. |
| The French government made a concerted effort to stop the tour after Dieudonne was recorded making remarks about Jewish journalist Patrick Cohen. | The French government made a concerted effort to stop the tour after Dieudonne was recorded making remarks about Jewish journalist Patrick Cohen. |
| "When I hear him talking, I say to myself: Patrick Cohen, hmm... the gas chambers… what a shame," Dieudonne was recorded as saying. | "When I hear him talking, I say to myself: Patrick Cohen, hmm... the gas chambers… what a shame," Dieudonne was recorded as saying. |
| He has also been accused of deriding Holocaust survivors and victims in his material. | He has also been accused of deriding Holocaust survivors and victims in his material. |
| Dieudonne's lawyer said banning the show would be a clear breach of the principle of free expression, and that contrary to government claims, there was no evidence that his performances were a threat to public order. | Dieudonne's lawyer said banning the show would be a clear breach of the principle of free expression, and that contrary to government claims, there was no evidence that his performances were a threat to public order. |
| President Francois Hollande had earlier urged French officials to enforce an order authorising the ban on the show. | President Francois Hollande had earlier urged French officials to enforce an order authorising the ban on the show. |
| On Monday, Mr 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, Mr 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. |
| Speaking on Thursday from Brittany, Mr Valls condemned the "mechanics of hate". | |
| "Peddlers of hate stop at nothing and show boundless creativity," he said. "Faced with this creativity of hate, should we do nothing? Certainly not. The status quo is not a solution." | |
| Dieudonne remains booked to play at a series of French venues until June, although the cities of Bordeaux and Marseille have cancelled his performances. | Dieudonne remains booked to play at a series of French venues until June, although the cities of Bordeaux and Marseille have cancelled his performances. |
| He denies his trademark quenelle gesture is an inverted Nazi salute, instead describing it as an anti-establishment sign. | 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. | 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. | The striker said the gesture had been "a dedication to Dieudonne", not an anti-Semitic salute. |