The anti-semitic French comedian Dieudonné has declared his admiration for the terrorist who murdered four people at a kosher supermarket in Paris last Friday.
Dieudonné M’Bala M’bala, 48, who has several convictions for making anti-semitic comments and jokes, came to international attention 12 months ago after the footballer Nicolas Anelka performed his trademark gesture the “quenelle” during a Premier League match.
In a statement on his Facebook page after the 1,500,000 strong “march against hatred” in Paris , Dieudonné declared: “As far as I am concerned, I feel I am Charlie Coulibaly”.
Amedy Coulibaly took hostages and killed four people at the Hyper Cacher supermarket in eastern Paris last Friday before being killed by police. He said he was working for Islamic Sate and in “synchronisation” with the Kouachi brothers who attacked Charlie Hebdo magazine.
Dieudonné had said earlier that he would take part in the Paris march to express his support for freedom of speech. After it ended on Sunday night, he posted a mocking statement on his Facebook page.
“After this historic, no legendary, march... a magic moment equal to the Big Bang which created the Universe... or in a smaller (more local) way comparable to the crowning of the (ancient Gaullish king) Vercingétorix, I am going home. Let me say that this evening, as far as I am concerned, I feel I am Charlie Coulibaly.”
The message generated a wave of indignant csomments on social media and tweets and was referred to the French police. It was removed from Dieudonné‘s page after a few hours.