French Court Rules Controversial Comedian's Show Can Go Ahead
A French comedian whose performances authorities want to ban because of the act's perceived anti-Semitism has been given the go-ahead to perform in the city of Nantes, France.
A court ruled Thursday that Dieudonne M'bala M'bala's show Thursday night that will open his nationwide tour can go ahead. About 5,000 tickets have been sold for the performance.
Critics say Dieudonne's straight-arm gesture, known as a "quenelle," is a reverse Nazi salute, but the 46-year-old comedian says it is anti-Zionist and anti-establishment. He denies it is anti-Semitic.
But the BBC notes that:
"He has seven convictions for anti-Semitic hate speech and his latest show is also said to contain a string of derogatory references to Jews. ... The French government has made a concerted effort to stop the comedian's new tour after Dieudonne was recorded making blatantly anti-Semitic remarks about a Jewish journalist."