Robert Menard will be tried for incitement to hatred – The Figaro

accused of having declared that there was too much of muslim children in his town of Béziers, the mayor will be held on 8 march in front of the correctional court in Paris.

Robert Ménard eventually will have to explain himself before the justice. The mayor of Béziers, close to the national Front, will be tried before the correctional court in Paris for incitement to hatred. He said that there were too many muslim children in the schools of his city. The elected has been the subject of a referral to trial on the 24th of November by the prosecutor’s office of Paris, which had been seized by the League against racism and anti-semitism, and the Movement against racism and for friendship of peoples, said a justice source.

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Specifically, the prosecution seeks two declarations by the mayor. The first on his Twitter account, on the 1st of September: “#rentreedesclasses: the evidence the more brilliant the great Replacement. Just look at old class photos…”. Then, a second, September 5, on LCI: “In a class of center-city home, 91% of muslim children. Of course, that this is a problem. There are thresholds of tolerance (…)”

The prosecutor’s office in Paris covers the offence of incitement to direct discrimination, hatred or violence against a group of persons because of their belonging to a nation, a race, an ethnicity, or a religion. According to the Licra, who announced in a press release its intention to be a civil party to the trial is planned for 8 march.

Robert Ménard is not his first provocation. In may 2015, it had already aroused a huge outcry by referring to “64.6 per cent” of pupils of the muslim faith in the public schools of Béziers, an estimate based on “the numbers of (the) town hall”. An investigation ultimately closed, had been opened to check the possible existence of illegal files in the town hall. Several other initiatives have prompted controversy. In October, the town hall of Béziers had put up posters depicting bearded men presented as ” migrants “arrive” in the “city center”. The public prosecutor of Béziers had opened an investigation.

In July, the administrative court of Montpellier had forbidden the implementation desired by the city council of a “guard biterroise”, volunteers are supposed to patrol the streets of the city. A “militia” for its opponents. Former secretary-general of Reporters without borders (RSF), Robert Ménard was elected in 2014 to the head of this city of 75,000 inhabitants, in the Hérault department, with the support of the FN.