EJC President Welcomes Ban on Dieudonné Show: “To Remove a Platform for Hate is a Victory for Democracy”

(Bruxelles, le 9 janvier 2014) - Le président du Congrès Juif Européen, le Dr Moshe Kantor, a salué la décision du Conseil d'État français d'interdire la programmation d'un spectacle de Dieudonné M'Bala M'Bala. « C'est un triomphe pour les valeurs de la démocratie et de la République française», a déclaré le Dr Kantor. « Le fait de supprimer desexpressions de haine est dans l’intérêt de la République française et de ses citoyens », a-t-il encore dit.

(Brussels, Thursday, January 09, 2014) - The President of the European Jewish Congress Dr. Moshe Kantor has welcomed the decision of France’s Council of State to ban the staging of a show by the anti-Semitic comedian Dieudonné M’Bala M’Bala. “This is a triumph for the values of democracy and for the French Republic,” Dr Kantor said. “To remove a platform for hate and a stage for racism is in the best interests of the state and its citizens.”

“The Government of France and in particular, Interior Minister Manuel Valls, have shown immense bravery and vigilance in refusing to allow this anti-Semite to spread his hatred of Jews under the guise of entertainment.” Dieudonné, who has a number of convictions for racist incitement and who has publicly honored Holocaust deniers and far-Right leaders, was scheduled to perform in Nantes on Thursday. An initial attempt by the government to ban the show, the first of a series which Dieudonné is scheduled to perform around France, was initially ruled against in an appeal by the comedian.

However, this too was overturned after the government made an urgent appeal to the Council of State. “The French Government must remain vigilant and continue to deny a platform for Dieudonné to spread his hate,” Kantor said. “Democracy does not mean that everything is allowed and hate, racism and anti-Semitism should not fall under any cultural or comedic parameters in a civilized society.”