Jean-Marie Le Pen, 88, founder of France’s far-right National Front party and anti-Semitic father of the party’s presidential hopeful Marine Le Pen – who says she is not a Jew hater – has been charged with inciting hatred for an anti-Semitic pun he made back in 2014, Le Pen Sr.’s attorney said on Saturday.
The amusing pun was made at the expense of French-Jewish singer Patrick Bruel. When Le Pen was asked about his opinion of Bruel he said, “Écoutez, on fera une fournée la prochaine fois” – which translates roughly as “Listen, we’ll take care of that batch next time,” except the old Jew hating bastard used the verb “fournée” for batch, inferring “furnace,” as in the ovens.
In October 2016 the European Parliament, of which the Le Pen Sr. is a member, revoked his parliamentary immunity so he could face charges in this case. Le Pen for his part claimed he had no idea Bruel was Jewish.
In 2015 the National Front party Le Pen had founded revoked his membership. He sued and lost, although the court did permit him to hold on to his title of honorary president.
