The problem with French comedian and social critic Dieudonné presents a very big problem with the political Jewish Zionist establishment in France and the Western world.
A herculean effort is being launched by socialist and politically correct leftists to silence him and to prevent him from making money, but they run the risk of making a martyr out of Dieudonné in which the modern world hasn't seen in a long time.
In addition, the timing for the controversy is rather interesting as François Hollande is currently embroiled in a scandal over allegedly having a mistress, as well as very low approval ratings.
A performance by Dieudonne M'bala M'bala in Nantes was blocked by France's highest court late on Thursday night, overturning a local judge's ruling that the show should be allowed to go ahead.
The move was hailed as a victory over anti-Semitism by the French government, with Manuel Valls, the interior minister, stating "the law must be able to act".
He said that the government would now attempt to stop his material circulating online.
"We cannot tolerate hatred of others, racism, anti-Semitism or holocaust denial," Mr Valls said. "That is not France and the highest (administrative) court in the land has said as much and has said it clearly. This is a victory for the Republic."
That viewed was echoed by the head of the European Jewish Congress who hailed the ruling as "a triumph for the values of democracy".
"To remove a platform for hate and a stage for racism is in the best interests of the state and its citizens," said Dr Moshe Kantor in a statement.
However, the comedian has thousands of supporters – both the people who rallied outside the theatre after the last minute cancellation of his show, thousands more of online sympathisers and those who argue that muzzling him is a breach of freedom of speech.
Le Figaro described Mr Valls's success in having the show cancelled as a "fragile victory".
Many young people were openly brandishing Dieudonne's signature "Quenelle" gesture, which has been condemned as anti-Semitic. Nicolas Anelka, the West Bromich Albion footballer was criticised for making the gesture as part of a goal celebration last month.
Interpreted as a reverse version of the Nazi salute, two French soldiers were sanctioned by the army after performing the salute in front of a synagogue in Paris.
However, the 47-year-old comedian has said the "Quenelle" is simply an "up yours" sign to the French establishment.
Dieudonne's lawyers have cited a violation of the comedian's freedom of expression, and the Human Rights League, a French non-governmental organisation, has warned that the ban could "rally support for Dieudonne for those who consider themselves oppressed".
The comedian has been fined several times for "hate speech" as well as an investigation that he owes tax authorities more than 800,000 euros. His show, entitled The Wall, has been criticised for mocking victims of the Holocaust.
Dieudonné: was François Hollande right to support a ban?
Should controversial comedian Dieudonné M'bala M'bala, the man behind the quenelle gesture, be silenced by the law – or by sharper arguments? Andrew Hussey and Padraig Reidy (whom both label Dieudonné a racist, bigot, holocaust denier etc) debate France's thorniest issue.
Andrew Hussey, dean of the University of London Institute in Paris:
I suppose my starting point has to be that there is no doubt that Dieudonné is not so much a comedian but, rather, an attention-seeking racist and an antisemite. He certainly isn't funny any more, if he ever was. He is, however, an expert in provocation, and that's what his latest acts and statements, including the famous "quenelle", are all about. More to the point, what he is really doing is testing the limits of French law – specifically the Loi Gayssot of 1990, the so-called loi anti-négationniste, which, among other things, effectively makes Holocaust denial (négationnisme in French) a crime.
Padraig Reidy, senior writer at Index on Censorship:
I'm glad neither of us is going to attempt to describe Dieudonné as anything other than what he is – a rabble-rousing bigot. Too often in discussions on free speech issues, people will attempt to downplay or deflect attention from the ugly facts, or attempt to rationalise other people's bigotry. I hope I don't fall into that trap.
I don't really doubt that François Hollande's support for municipal bans of Dieudonné's performances is well-meaning. A lot of modern censorious laws are conceived as protection rather than punishment. But you've pointed out the problem with this yourself. Dieudonné and his friends already see themselves as "anti-establishment" and have justified the quenelle salute that has led to this controversy as a gesture against the powers that be. As Mark Gardner of Britain's Community Security Trust has written, this leads to an easy conflation between "the establishment" and old-fashioned antisemitic ideas about "Jewish power", "Jewish capitalism" and more. Dieudonné already has convictions for antisemitism, but it seems to have done little to dent his standing among fans, and may even have enhanced his standing as a rebel. I wonder if the well-meaning law has in fact done more harm than good.
