The mayor of Nice was quick to react against the holding of Dieudonné’s performance in his municipality. The announced date is set for this Saturday, May 27, at a still-unknown location.
“This kind of discourse and these characters will not and will never have a place in our city,” shares Christian Estrosi on his Twitter account. In this regard, he announced taking all necessary precautions to prevent this event from taking place. It is not the first time the controversial comedian has tried to perform in Nice. Once again, the mayor of Nice makes it clear to him that he is persona non grata.
The comedian announced on his social media this Tuesday, May 23, three dates for his show “Foutu pour Foutu,” including one in Nice this Saturday, May 27, at 8 p.m. On his website, he describes his show as “a performance under very high ‘pressure,’” “already cult even before its release.” He also refers to it as “the comedic phenomenon of the decade.”
For booking, four categories of prices are available. The most accessible rate at 29.90 euros is sold out. As usual, he does not announce the venue for the performance. Only holders of electronic tickets will receive an SMS and an email, at the latest a few hours before the show, with the location details.
Christian Estrosi appeals to the prefect
In a second message, the mayor calls on the prefect to act. He urges him to “take all measures to prevent Dieudonné from performing in Nice.” He continues: “He and his hatred are definitely not welcome!” These performances were already not welcome in 2015, when he had to give up performing due to a municipal decree or again in 2017.
While Christian Estrosi was first deputy, he had already prevented Dieudonné from performing in the capital of the Côte d’Azur. He published in a press release: “I am very attached to freedom of expression and artistic freedom: but Dieudonné has long ceased to be an artist.” The polemicist found a way to take the stage, a few kilometers away in the commune of L’Escarène. Following this affair, he insulted the mayor. Consequently, he was convicted on July 2, 2021, for public insult against Christian Estrosi.
The polemicist currently under investigation
The “anti-Zionist” polemicist has over twenty convictions for various offenses since the year 2000. Notoriously antisemitic, Dieudonné M’bala M’bala has notably been convicted by Swiss, French, Canadian, and Belgian courts for “incitement to discrimination, hatred, or radical or religious violence,” defamation, public insult, racist insult, negationism, or apology of terrorism.
Other proceedings are ongoing. He is notably under investigation for tax fraud, money laundering, and misuse of company assets. In another case, he is under investigation for slanderous remarks against Manuel Valls. He appeared last week in support of Tariq Ramadan during his rape trial in Geneva, for which he was acquitted on Wednesday, May 24. The Muslim preacher accused of rapes by five women in France also plans to come to Nice. He is planning to give a lecture during a literary luncheon, on Sunday, June 4. No location is mentioned.
