Anelka faces investigation after ‘anti-Semitic salute’
French footballer Nicolas Anelka faces investigation after performing a controversial salute, linked to a far-right activist, while celebrating a goal for West Brom.
Anelka performed a gesture called “the quenelle” made famous by French comedian Dieudonné M’bala M’bala, who has been fined for hate speech in the past.
The player was seen performing a straight arm salute pointed downwards with his other hand touching his shoulder after scoring the first of two goals for West Brom against West Ham.
France’s Sports Minister Valerie Fourneyron has condemned the striker on Twitter calling it a “shocking provocation”.
Anelka has claimed he made the gesture as a “dedication to his comedian friend” who devised it, but the salute is widely seen by Jewish groups to be anti-Semitic and has been called a “Nazi salute in reverse”.
Holocaust comments
Dieudonné currently faces a ban from performing in France amid allegations of spreading hate speech, having described Holocaust remembrance events as “memorial pornography”.
France’s interior minister Manuel Valls announced on Friday that he is considering banning performances by Dieudonné.
In the past Dieudonné, whose father is from Cameroon, has had his shows banned in Paris and even made public appearences with then Front National leader Jean Marie Le Pen. Le Pen is also godfather to his third child.
In 2009 he stood for the European parliament as part of an “Anti-Zionist list” of far-right activists. A public appearance with convicted Holocaust denier Robert Faurisson resulted in a £10,000 fine for “insulting people of Jewish faith”.
In total the comedian has been convicted seven times for anti-Semitics remarks and paid out thousands of euros in fines.
A nearly professional anti-Semitism under the cover of telling jokes
Roger Cukierman, CRIF
After the murder of French anti-fascist activist Clement Meric by far-right skinheads this year Dieudonné posted a long interview on YouTube with the leader of the now banned extremist group Jeunesses Nationalistes Révolutionnaires.
The head of the French umbrella organisation for Jewish groups CRIF, Roger Cukierman has claimed Dieudonné is “developing a nearly professional anti-Semitism under the cover of telling jokes”.
Kick It Out
Football anti-discrimination campaign group Kick It Out said they are looking into the gesture and would offer help to the FA if requested.
A statement said; “Kick It Out has been made aware of West Bromwich Albion striker Nicolas Anelka making an alleged gesture, known as the ‘quenelle’, which carries anti-Semitic connotations during today’s fixture against West Ham United at Upton Park.
“The campaign is in contact with partners in England and France regarding this matter and has offered its support to the Football Association in any forthcoming investigation.”
