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| French Comedian Dieudonné Says He’s Barred From Hong Kong | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The comedian Dieudonné M’bala M’bala, whose anti-Semitic comments have put him at the center of a free-speech debate in France, said on Thursday that he had been detained at the Hong Kong Airport and barred from entering the territory. | The comedian Dieudonné M’bala M’bala, whose anti-Semitic comments have put him at the center of a free-speech debate in France, said on Thursday that he had been detained at the Hong Kong Airport and barred from entering the territory. |
| Mr. M’bala M’bala, who was scheduled to perform two shows in the city, posted on Facebook a photograph of the notice denying him entry, writing that he and his two eldest sons had “been detained by the Hong Kong police for over 14 hours.” | Mr. M’bala M’bala, who was scheduled to perform two shows in the city, posted on Facebook a photograph of the notice denying him entry, writing that he and his two eldest sons had “been detained by the Hong Kong police for over 14 hours.” |
| The Hong Kong Immigration Department declined to specifically address Mr. M’bala M’bala’s case, but it said in an email that it was “committed to upholding effective immigration control by denying the entry of undesirables.” | The Hong Kong Immigration Department declined to specifically address Mr. M’bala M’bala’s case, but it said in an email that it was “committed to upholding effective immigration control by denying the entry of undesirables.” |
| The comedian was convicted in March of condoning terrorism in France after he posted a Facebook message suggesting sympathy with one of the gunmen involved in the January 2015 attack on the offices of Charlie Hebdo, a satirical newspaper in Paris, that left 12 dead. | The comedian was convicted in March of condoning terrorism in France after he posted a Facebook message suggesting sympathy with one of the gunmen involved in the January 2015 attack on the offices of Charlie Hebdo, a satirical newspaper in Paris, that left 12 dead. |
| A separate free-speech ruling was upheld in November by the European Court of Human Rights, which said that Mr. M’bala M’bala’s right to expression did not permit him to make anti-Semitic jokes or statements denying the Holocaust. | A separate free-speech ruling was upheld in November by the European Court of Human Rights, which said that Mr. M’bala M’bala’s right to expression did not permit him to make anti-Semitic jokes or statements denying the Holocaust. |
| Attempts at silencing Mr. M’bala M’bala have created tensions over free speech and gained him support among some French Muslims, as well as far-right sympathizers. He is widely associated with an inverted Nazi salute known as the quenelle, and, in 2013, he lamented that a prominent Jewish journalist had not died in “the gas chambers.” | Attempts at silencing Mr. M’bala M’bala have created tensions over free speech and gained him support among some French Muslims, as well as far-right sympathizers. He is widely associated with an inverted Nazi salute known as the quenelle, and, in 2013, he lamented that a prominent Jewish journalist had not died in “the gas chambers.” |
| Hong Kong has a significant French population, estimated at close to 20,000, and Mr. M’bala M’bala’s was traveling to the city to perform “Dieudonné en paix” (Dieudonné in peace) on Thursday and Friday at a venue in Cyberport, a development on the western part of Hong Kong Island. | Hong Kong has a significant French population, estimated at close to 20,000, and Mr. M’bala M’bala’s was traveling to the city to perform “Dieudonné en paix” (Dieudonné in peace) on Thursday and Friday at a venue in Cyberport, a development on the western part of Hong Kong Island. |
| A booking website was selling tickets to the shows for 420 Hong Kong dollars, or about $54. The Cyberport management company would not confirm that the shows had been canceled, saying only that the performances were a “private booking” in a restaurant. | A booking website was selling tickets to the shows for 420 Hong Kong dollars, or about $54. The Cyberport management company would not confirm that the shows had been canceled, saying only that the performances were a “private booking” in a restaurant. |
| The shows were to take place at the Arcade Center, according to the Facebook page for the event, and 42 people were said to be attending. | The shows were to take place at the Arcade Center, according to the Facebook page for the event, and 42 people were said to be attending. |