Dieudonné convicted in Paris for glorifying terrorism and public insult
The Paris district court has convicted comedian Dieudonné to a fine of 5,000 euros and three years of ineligibility. He must also pay damages to two civil parties.
Dieudonné found guilty following video on 7 October attacks
The Paris district court has convicted Dieudonné M'Bala M'Bala to a fine of 5,000 euros and three years of ineligibility for glorifying terrorism, according to RTBF Info. The comedian must moreover pay 1,000 euros to the European Jewish Organisation and one symbolic euro to Laurent Nuñez.
The prosecutions concerned in particular a video published on X on 7 October 2024, the day of the first anniversary of the Hamas attack in Israel, which had cost the lives of more than 1,200 people, mostly civilians. In this two-minute film, viewed one million times, the sexagenarian — who then had 34 convictions on his criminal record — had described this date as "marvellous, extraordinary, magical", before specifying that he was referring to the anniversary of his daughter's birthday, born on 7 October fifteen years earlier.
The judges dismissed this explanation, noting an "instrumentalisation" and a "rhetorical procedure, constructed on a device", which allowed Dieudonné to present "in a very favourable light the terrorist attacks of 7 October".
A second video, published after the fire that targeted the synagogue of La Grande-Motte in August 2024, was also held against him. In it he suggested that this fire could be "a response to the hatred and racism poured out without restraint by certain Jews of France since 7 October". The court described these remarks as glorifying terrorism.
Dieudonné was moreover convicted of public insult against Laurent Nuñez, then prefect of police of Paris, whom he had called into question in a third video following an order banning one of his performances.
Source: RTBF Info