Marine Le Pen, the leader of France’s far-right National Front (FN), has been ordered to stand trial in October on charges of inciting racial hatred after comparing Muslim street prayers to the Nazi occupation, legal sources said Tuesday, reports FRANCE 24.
Le Pen was campaigning to take over leadership of the FN from her father in December 2010 when she made the comparison, complaining that there were “ten to fifteen” places in France where Muslims worshipped in the streets outside mosques when these were full.
“I am sorry but for those who like talking a lot about World War II, if it comes to talking about the Occupation, we can talk about it, because that (Muslims praying on the street) is the occupation of territory,” she told a crowd in the eastern city of Lyon.
“It is an occupation of part of the territory, suburbs where religious law is applied. Sure, there are no armoured vehicles, no soldiers, but it is an occupation nonetheless and it weighs on residents.”