French comic Dieudonne arrested over Charlie Hebdo Facebook post

French comedian Dieudonne M’bala M’bala was detained for questioning on Wednesday after writing on his Facebook account he felt like “Charlie Coulibaly”, a word play combining the widespread “I am Charlie” vigil slogan and the name of one of the three gunmen. Prosecutors launched an inquiry on potential charges of glorifying terrorism against Mr Dieudonne on Monday. He has previously faced accusations of anti-Semitism and has mocked the killing of U.S. reporter James Foley by Islamic State militants.

Tonight, as far as I’m concerned, I feel like Coulibaly.

Facebook post on Dieudonne

Mr Dieudonne, Paris-born son of a Cameroonian father and French mother, says he is not anti-Semitic. He has been repeatedly fined for hate speech in France where local authorities in several towns have banned his shows as a threat to public order. His lawyer Jacques Verdier told BFM-TV that arresting him for the “Charlie Coulibaly” comment was “completely out of proportion.” If condemned for glorifying terrorism, Mr Dieudonne could face up to seven years in jail and a 5,000 euro ($5,868) fine.

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