First modification:
Zemmour has already been convicted twice of inciting racial hatred. On this occasion, he described the sentence as ridiculous, assuring that the migrant minors who arrive in France “are not a race.”
The Paris Correctional Court fined far-right presidential candidate Éric Zemmour 10,000 euros for inciting racial hatred following statements issued in 2020.
The events occurred in the middle of a program on the CNews news network, in which the former journalist and writer described unaccompanied minors arriving in the country as thieves, murderers and rapists.
Specifically, he assured that “they have nothing to do here, they are thieves, murderers, rapists, that is all they are. They must be expelled, they should not even come (…) it is a permanent invasion, there is a political problem with immigration “.
The sentence was issued in absentia and marks the third time Zemmour has been convicted on the same charges. Subsequently, the candidate issued a statement in which he assured that he would appeal the decision, while accusing the judges of “giving in to the whims” of humanitarian organizations.
For the applicant, it is an ideological conviction that he called “stupid” and added that it was imposed by “a judicial system invaded by ideologies.” Similarly, he pointed out that the sentence for racial hatred is ridiculous because “unaccompanied migrant minors are not a race.”
In his statements, the far-right reiterated that they are “responsible for 96% of mobile phone thefts in France” and added that “most of them are neither minors nor isolated: they are sent by their parents to steal.”
On his Twitter account, the far-right stressed that his “adversaries defend foreign criminals over innocent French people.” And he added that “neither justice, nor politicians, nor the media, nor anyone” will silence him.
Me adversaires défendent les delinquants étrangers contre les Français innocents. I defend the innocent French against the foreign criminals. Neither the justice, nor the politicians, nor the media: personne ne me fera taire.
— Eric Zemmour (@ZemmourEric) January 17, 2022
Currently, Zemmour is fourth in the intention to vote with 15% of the support, below President Emmanuel Macron, who leads with 20% and the far-right Marine Le Pen and the conservative Valérie Pécresse, who tie with 16 %.
On a dozen occasions, the candidate has been accused of racial incitement and will even be tried again on appeal next Thursday, after having been acquitted in the first instance, for denying crimes against humanity in 2019, when he argued that Marshal Philippe Petain, who collaborated with the Nazi regime during World War II, “saved” French Jews.
In the same way, on January 27, he will have to appear in court after being denounced by several filmmakers who accused him of using several images without permission for the video with which he announced his campaign for the French Presidency.
With EFE and Reuters
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