| advertisement |
|
|
| advertisement |
|
|
|
| Anti-Dieudonne book back on the shelves
|
|
 |
The cover of Mercier's book on Dieudonne
|
|
|
| Page tools |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
‘The truth on Dieudonne’, a book investigating the controversial French comic Dieudonne Mbala Mbala, was this week back on sale in French book stores after the comedian failed in his attempts to ban the publication.
The book, by journalist Anne-Sophie Mercier, details the Dieudonne’s methods of spreading anti-Semitic rumours and his links with Muslim fundamentalists.
It was authorised for publication by the 14th division of the Paris appeal court on 15 December.
The court overruled a previous decision that prohibited certain passages of the investigation.
The book they tried to ban
Mercier’s publishing house, Plon, authorised the reprint of 7,000 copies of the book in its original version with the words “The book Dieudonne tried to prohibit!” on the cover.
“This banner is our reaction to this law suit,” said the editor, who refused to comment further on the final decision.
Plon was determined to win this case after the November 2 court decision to ban passages of the book.
The court authorised the editor to sell the copies that have already been printed under the condition he inserted into the books special banners indicating the book was censored.
“Had we lost the appeal, we would have printed the censored version.” said the editor.
Never convicted
‘The truth on Dieudonne’ describes how the comic spread anti-Semitic rumours while pretending to be a victim and without ever being convicted.
Mercier writes that under the cover of anti-Zionist formulas, Dieudonne in fact pulls on the anti-Semitic string, spreading the idea of a “Jewish conspiracy” while crudely falsifying history.
“He is the companion of the fundamentalists” Mercier writes, “Their common goal is to weaken the Republic.”
Dieudonne Mbala Mbala’s interest in the book and the law suit he launched against it has aroused public interest, especially as this is the first time he has lost a court case.
After the court decided to censor it in November, the book sold out in a matter of days. “5,500 copies were sold and many people called us to get all the details on the affair,” the editor told EJP. “We got some hostile calls from Dieudonne fans, but none of them were excessive.”
In the big Parisian book stores Dieudonne fans and opponents played strange games, taking the banners on and off the books. A Fnac salesman, Cyril, told EJP he was sick and tired of putting the banners back on the copies.
“It’s the law,” he said “We just have to put them back on.”
An hour later, the last books were sold out.
|
|
 |
|