French comic on trial for ‘defending terrorism’

Controversial French comic Dieudonne M’bala M’bala went on trial Wednesday charged with “defending terrorism” in a Facebook post after last month’s three-day terror spree in Paris. It was the second time in seven days the comic has faced a court. Last week, he faced charges of inciting racial hatred. Dieudonne, 48, has been convicted a dozen times on racism or anti-Semitism charges. Last year, French authorities banned several of his performances, in which he made light of the Holocaust and popularized a gesture some describe as an inverted Nazi salute. The defense claimed that Dieudonne is the victim of a double standard by which freedom of expression is protected for some but not for him.

There are gaps in French law.

Maryam Lakhal, a 19-year-old law student and Dieudonne fan

The comic faced charges when he said on Facebook “I feel like Charlie Coulibaly.” The post, which has since been taken down, merges the names of Charlie Hebdo, the satirical magazine where two gunmen killed 12 people, and that of Amedy Coulibaly, who prosecutors say killed four hostages at a kosher supermarket and a policewoman. Dieudonne advocates say that Charlie Hebdo can mock Islam’s prophet because there is no law against blasphemy, but Dieudonne’s remarks fall under the ban on racism and anti-Semitism.

Politics