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According to reports, Girot de Langlade, when being controlled at the airport, said "this is like being in Africa here, there are only blacks."
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PARIS (EJP)---A French official has been suspended from his job for making racist comments, the French Interior Ministry said.
The official, Paul Girot de Langlade, who had last served as coordinator for the French island of Reunion in the Indian Ocean, made comments about the black personnel at an airport when he was asked to empty his pockets.
According to reports, Girot de Langlade, when being controlled at the airport, said "this is like being in Africa here, there are only blacks."
Such behaviour was not in line with the values of the Republic, the ministry said, as meanwhile public prosecutors began an investigation.
It later became known that the man had previously been charged for making insulting comments about Sinti and Roma in the country.
A first court ruling in 2007 found him guilty and ordered a 2,000 euro (2,800 dollar) fine, but the charge was dropped in an appeals trial.
The interior ministry said that Paul Girot de Langlade, the coordinator of a political peace process on the island of Reunion, had been suspended pending an inquiry.
In a statement, Interior Minister Brice Hortefeux said: "I will never tolerate racist or discriminatory speech in our country, especially by a state official of any kind. This behaviour violates the values of our republic."