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Controversial French comic Dieudonne. AP Photo/Remy de la Mauviniere

Paris Mayor calls for ban on controversial comedian accused of anti-Semitism

Dieudonne’s says his “quenelle” gesture represents his anti-establishment views but people have been photographed making it at synagogues and Holocaust memorials.

THE MAYOR OF Paris has joined France’s interior minister in calling for comedian Dieudonne, whose vitriolic brand of humour targeting Jews has caused outrage, to be banned from the stage.

Dieudonne has been part of France’s comedy scene for years, but while he started out with a Jewish comedian in sketches that mocked racism, he gradually veered to the far-right and alienated some fans with anti-Jewish comments his latest being a joke about gas chambers.

Speaking on Europe 1 radio, Paris mayor Bertrand Delanoe likened Dieudonne to a criminal who “defends crimes against humanity”.

“We must ban the performances (of the comedian),” he said, echoing recent comments made by Interior Minister Manuel Valls.

Dieudonne has been fined several times for defamation, using insulting language, hate speech and racial discrimination, and a provocative arm gesture he makes has been described as an upside down Nazi salute.

Dieudonne argues that the horrors of the Holocaust are given too much focus to the exclusion of other crimes, like slavery and racism, and says his “quenelle” gesture merely represents his anti-establishment views.

The gesture has landed several personalities in hot water, including footballer Nicolas Anelka, who used it to celebrate a goal.

“SOS Racisme”, an organisation that fights racism, announced on Sunday it would take to court anyone who spread pictures of or did the “quenelle” in locations such as synagogues or Holocaust memorials “that leave no doubt” as to the anti-semitic nature of the gesture.

Valls, meanwhile, has said he is examining options to ban performances by a man he brands as a “little trader of hate”, outraged by Dieudonne’s latest jibe against Jewish radio presenter Patrick Cohen.

“When I hear Patrick Cohen speak, I tell myself, you know, the gas chambers… A shame,” Dieudonne had said in comments filmed secretly at a show and then aired on French television.

Valls has also asked Dieudonne to pay some €65,000 euros he has run up in fines.

Officials in several cities where Dieudonne is set to perform during a nationwide tour this month have also said they are trying to ban his show.

And veteran Nazi hunters Serge and Beate Klarsfeld have called for a protest on Wednesday at a theatre in the western city of Nantes, where Dieudonne is due to perform.

The controversy comes at a sensitive time for France, where racism has shot to the fore after the country’s black justice minister was the victim of a series of racial jibes — prompting President Francois Hollande to pledge intransigence on racism in his New Year’s address.

© – AFP 2014

Read: Anelka defends ‘quenelle’ gesture, says he’s not anti-Semitic >

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    Mute Donal Connell
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    Mar 23rd 2020, 6:44 PM

    Pure and simple Go AWAY no one wants your kind your day is over.

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    Mute Justice Mickey
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    Mar 23rd 2020, 6:49 PM

    @Donal Connell:
    Now what kind of people are you accusing the 3 “released” people of.
    Or are you another one of the Journal warriors

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    Mute Donal Connell
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    Mar 23rd 2020, 6:51 PM

    @Justice Mickey: The ones that want to bomb and murder their way back to the bad days of the troubles fool

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    Mute Justice Mickey
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    Mar 23rd 2020, 7:29 PM

    @Donal Connell:
    Ah right, so I take it you are in possession of evidence that should be passed on to the gárda.
    BTW , you will notice I didn’t descend to calling you names.

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    Mute Martin Galvin
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    Mar 23rd 2020, 10:54 PM

    @Donal Connell: That’s no way to talk about the English.

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    Mute John O Donoghue
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    Mar 23rd 2020, 6:32 PM

    I hope the three are okay I hope there not traumatised

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    Mute Old Bill
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    Mar 23rd 2020, 10:28 PM

    God bless the dissident republicans.

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    Mute Sean Fahey
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    Mar 24th 2020, 2:12 AM

    Back on the ballot, so!

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