The European Jewish Congress (EJC) is filing a lawsuit in a Paris court against Jean-Marie Le Pen after comments he made on a French National Front Video referencing crematoria when asked to comment on Jewish singer and actor Patrick Bruel.

Le Pen, Honorary President, former leader and an MEP for the National Front made a controversial comment implying a reference to Holocaust concentration camp crematoria when asked about criticism made by Bruel.

The EJC called for the stripping of Le Pen’s parliamentary immunity and for prosecution after the video was released, and now it has decided to take direct action against the senior National Front figure who has a history of convictions for anti-Semitism and racism.

“It is vital that there are consequences for these comments, which reflect a history of racism and anti-Semitism by Le Pen which have not received the censure they deserve,” Dr. Moshe Kantor, President of the EJC said. “These comments are incitement against and defamation of the Jewish People and we will take every action to ensure that a message is sent that this is unacceptable discourse.”

Under French law concerning the media there is a category about making such statements that can result in or be considered as defamation against an ethnic group. Mr. Gilles-William Goldnadel, attorney at law at the Paris bar, has been retained by the EJC to file the lawsuit.

If the case is found against Le Pen by the court he can be censured and fined, which can also lead to a decision to suspend Le Pen’s parliamentary immunity.

“The new reality in Europe demonstrated by the recent European Parliamentary electoral gains by far-Right and neo-Nazi parties necessitates taking strong and swift action against hate, intolerance and xenophobia,” Kantor said. “We hope that this lawsuit will send a strong message that there will no longer be immunity for hate and an end to the impunity of incitement against Jews or other ethnic groups among any Europeans, especially by public figures such as politicians.”

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