After the murder of 17 people in Paris last week, French Prime Minister Manuel Valls, went to work announcing a series of measures instituted to thwart terrorist attacks, one of which included tighter surveillance of the internet and social media. Prime Minister, Valls, has said his country is at war with extremism and terrorism – but not Muslims.
In steps famed French comedienne and political activist Dieundonné M’bala M’bala, widely known for his antisemitic views and stage performances, already banned by the French government.
After attending Sunday’s unity march against extremism, Dieundonné tweeted: “Quant à moi , je sens que je suis Charlie Coulibaly.” Translation, “As for me, I feel I am Charlie Coulibaly”, an obvious reference to the murdered journalist Charlie Hebdo and gunmen Amedy Coulibaly, who is alleged to have committed the recent French acts of terror.
The post immediately created a stir even with Dieundonné’s own fan base, who were obviously not ready for more interpretive rhetoric.
The post was removed from Dieundonné’s FB page after only an hour but the damage was done. French interior minister opened up an investigation in to Dieundonné’s FB post, which he described as a breach of French law, forbidding apology or encouragement of terrorism and lead to the comedienne’s arrest this week.
Dieudonnè and football star posing in a quenelle gesture, meant to resemble a nazi reference. The gesture was created by Dieudonné and first used in a 2005 skit named “1905”. The gesture is interpreted to mean “UP YOURS”.
Sources close to the comedienne described the comedienne’s FB post as an internal conflict between condemning the terror of violence by extremist against innocent people, similar to living through the terror of government supported racism.
Dieundonné, 48-year-old comedienne, actor and activist, has been banned from stage performances by French government in an effort to silence his views. The French comedienne first gained recognition for his humorous skits depicting racial stereo types in the late 90’s. He later pursued a political career campaigning largely against the French far-right political party, which he believed to be racist. Through out his career as an actor slash activist, Dieundonné has been convicted eight times by the French courts on antisemitism charges.
Socially responsible American citizens here and abroad have responded with empathy to Dieundonné’s struggle. See the below quote provided by an American college student, studying to become a journalist.
“You start getting the feeling only one group of peoples rights are protected and defended. Like the comedienne, it is easy to begin believing your life does not have the same value as other citizens.”
These comments beg the question, “Where are the anti-brown skin laws?” “Sont tous les citoyens français les droits protégés?
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