Marine Le Pen to stand trial for Muslim-Nazi comparison

In 2010 speech, French National Front leader compared Islamic street prayers to occupation of French territory

By AP and ToI Staff 22 September 2015, 11:18 pm

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Far right party National Front leader Marine Le Pen poses for photographers before addressing reporters at the party's headquarters in Nanterre, west of Paris, Sunday May 25, 2014.(Photo credit: AP/Remy de la Mauviniere)

PARIS — A top official in the French far-right National Front party says its leader, Marine Le Pen, will stand trial over comments she made in 2010 comparing Muslim street prayers to an occupation of French territory.

Wallerand de Saint Just, Le Pen’s former lawyer and a ranking member of the party, confirmed the judicial decision on Tuesday to send Le Pen to trial on charges of inciting racial hatred. The party is known for its anti-immigration, anti-Islam views.

Saint Just said it was a question of freedom of speech.

“Political leaders must be able to speak without being afraid of being brought before a judge,” he said. In July 2013, Le Pen was stripped of her European Parliament immunity over the comments.

Referring to massed Muslim prayer outside, Le Pen told an event in Lyon five years ago: “For those who like to talk about World War Two, to talk about occupation, we could talk about, for once, the occupation of our territory… It is an occupation of part of the territory, suburbs where religious law is applied. Sure, there are no armored vehicles, no soldiers, but it is an occupation nonetheless and it weighs on residents.”