This November 13, 2015, Responsible for Equality And Liberty (R.E.A.L.) stands with the People of Paris in defense of their Universal Human Rights of liberty, equality, dignity, and security.
R.E.A.L. Stands with Paris
Tag: Paris
France: Anti-Semitic Activist Arrested for “Defending Terrorism” Comments
French anti-Semitic activist and comedian Dieudonné (French for “God Given”) M’Bala M’Bala has been arrested by French prosecutors for”defending terrorism,” after a Facebook posting indicating that he sympathized with a terrorist, Amedy Coulibaly, who murdered a black Paris policewoman on January 8 and who murdered four people at a Paris kosher supermarket on January 9.
On Facebook social media, French activist and comedian Dieudonné M’Bala M’Bala stated “Tonight, as far as I’m concerned, I feel like Charlie Coulibaly,” (“Je Suis Charlie Coulibaly”) in reference to the terrorist killer Amedy Coulibaly, who was the source of two terrorist attacks in France last week. The posting has been taken down.
The New York Times reports that Dieudonné M’Bala M’Bala frequently makes anti-Semitic hate comments as part of his performances. The Times reports: “Mr. M’Bala M’Bala generally points to a supposed cabal of Jewish ‘slave drivers,’ secret rulers who cloak themselves in the memory of the Holocaust.” The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) has reported that: “Dieudonne had called Jews “the world’s biggest crooks,” mocked the Holocaust, and called for the release of Youssouf Fofana, whose Gang of Barbarians had kidnapped, tortured, and murdered Ilan Halimi in 2006.” French commentators have been concerned about the growing anti-Semitism in France.
RFI, part of France Médias Monde, has been reporting on the investigation, along with AFP.
RFI has reported that French Interior Minister called French comedian Dieudonné M’Bala M’Bala’s comments “despicable.” The French Interior Minister stated at the end of December 2014 that there would be efforts to ban Dieudonné M’Bala M’Bala’s performances in France, due to the comedian’s comments on the Holocaust and anti-Semitic remarks. In 2008, Holocaust denier Robert Faurisson appeared in one of his shows. Dieudonné has described Holocaust remembrance as “memorial pornography”. Dieudonné M’Bala M’Bala has been convicted seven times for defamation and race hate. Dieudonné M’Bala M’Bala has traveled to Lebanon for meetings with Global Terrorist Organization Hezbollah, and he has publicly stated that he has friends and supporters in the Hezbollah and the Hamas terrorist organizations.
The New York Times reports that “Mr. Valls’s decision followed the broadcast of a video in which Mr. M’Bala M’Bala laments that a prominent Jewish journalist (Patrick Cohen) did not die in ‘the gas chambers.’ Under French law, those words will probably be deemed ‘incitement to racial hatred.'”
France’s Interior Minister Manuel Valls, stated “From one comment to the next, as he has shown in several television shows, he attacks the memory of Holocaust victims in an obvious and unbearable way.”
RFI has also reported that others praising the terrorist acts have faced legal action in France.
Dieudonné M’Bala M’Bala’s anti-Semitic remarks and actions have been defended by extremist “Nation of Islam” organization’s website led by extremist Louis Farrakhan. During a campaign for president in 2007, Dieudonné M’Bala M’Bala’ had convicted Holocaust denier Serge Thion writing for his campaign web site under the pseudonym “Serge Noith”, as did also the longtime secretary of the Holocaust denier Roger Garaudy, Maria Poumier. Wikipedia reports that “On 26 December 2008, at an event at the Parc de la Villette in Paris, Dieudonné awarded the Holocaust denier Robert Faurisson an “insolent outcast” prize [prix de l’infréquentabilité et de l’insolence]. The award was presented by one of Dieudonné’s assistants, Jacky, dressed in a concentration camp uniform with a yellow badge.”
In 2013, anti-Semitic comedian Dieudonné M’Bala M’Bala made news for popularizing a form of a downward Nazi salute called the “quenelle,” which also the name of a French fish dish. A year ago, on December 31, 2013, Dieudonné released a 15 minute video proposing that “2014 will be the year of the quenelle! “This anti-Semitic “salute” was increasingly performed near synagogues and other Jewish areas in France, as a promotion of hate speech. Some individuals have posed photos of themselves performing the “quenelle” salute at the Auschwitz concentration camp and at the Berlin Holocaust memorial.
Given all of the reprehensible history of Dieudonné M’Bala M’Bala’s anti-Semitic remarks and actions, it would requires a lot of explanation as to how professional athletes from France who are his “friend,” could not possibly understand his stand on human rights, and the context of this anti-Semitic “salute,” which he chose to popularize.
Sports stars have performed the anti-Semitic “salute,” including French-Belgian Tony Parker who has played for the American basketball team San Antonio Spurs. After public criticism by the Simon Wiesenthal Foundation and the Anti-Defamation League, American basketball player Tony Parker apologized for the salute. Tony Parker claimed ignorance of the anti-Semitic nature of this “quenelle” salute, and apologized.
The San Antonio Spur’s Tony Parker had been photographed performing the “quenelle” salute with French anti-Semitic comedian Dieudonné M’Bala M’Bala. Tony Parker was received at the White House on Monday, January 12, 2015, and along with his team presented the U.S. President with a jersey.
In addition, French soccer player Nicoloas Anelka, playing for the English Premier League’s West Brom team, has also been criticized for performing the “quenelle” salute. He stated that the gesture was “just a special dedication to my comedian friend Dieudonné.”
It should deeply troubling to this human rights group that sports figures and performers can promote such obvious anti-Semitic hatred, promotion of hatred, and even praise of terrorist attacks. In addition to the acts by the government of France to protect its citizens by the obscene and outrageous comments of those defending terrorism, we must recognize that such violence begins with the dehumanization of people of other identity groups.
The shameful efforts by anti-Semitic extremists to deny the tragedy of the Holocaust and to de-humanize the suffering of Jewish people and any other people, as part of a campaign of hatred, must be rejected by all those in support of our universal human rights.
We call upon the President of the United States of America, who has such time for various sports activities and honors, to also find the time to make a statement rejecting the anti-Semitic comments of individuals such as Dieudonné M’Bala M’Bala. We call upon President Obama to make a statement rejecting such those anywhere in the world praising terrorist actions. We call upon President Obama to make a statement rejecting this anti-Semitic “salute,” as another form of bigotry and contempt for other religions and identity groups that all those supporting our universal human rights must reject. None of these actions by President Obama would be difficult or burdensome. They are actions which could much to clarify his views as a world leader.
We call for Tony Parker to use his position in sports to do more than make a meek apology about his involvement with Dieudonné M’Bala M’Bala, being photographed making an anti-Semitic salute together. We call for Tony Parker to publicly and aggressively reject and condemn the ideology, the hate, and praise of terrorist activities by Dieudonné M’Bala M’Bala. We call for the city of San Antonio, Texas, not to look the other way on this matter, but to hold Mr. Parker accountable to defending the human rights and human dignity values that all those in American should represent.
To Dieudonné M’Bala M’Bala, we have an invitation to him to reject his praise of terrorist violence, and his anti-Semitic views. We remind him that the terrorist actions that he defends included the murder of a black French policewoman. We remind him that those who live by the standard of hatred and violence threaten not just one identity group, but threaten all of our human identity groups.
Responsible for Equality And Liberty (R.E.A.L.)’s position is that calls for hatred and violence against our human identity groups are a violation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). Such anti-Semitic hatred and praise of violence is particularly despicable, given the context of the creation of United Nation’s Declaration of Universal Human Rights after the defeat of Hitiler’s Nazi Germany. The UDHR was in response to the “barbarous acts which have outraged the conscience of mankind,” by the Holocaust and crimes against humanity by Nazi Germany. This is the same Holocaust which such individuals seek to mock and deny. This is the same promotion of “barbarous acts” which such individuals seek to promote.
Article 3 of the UDHR states that “everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person.” Article 7 of the UDHR states that “All are entitled to equal protection against any discrimination in violation of this Declaration and against any incitement to such discrimination.” Article 28 of the UDHR states that “Everyone is entitled to a social and international order in which the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration can be fully realized.”
Fundamentally, Article 1 states that “All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.”
We believe that living in accordance with the UDHR provides the pathway for resolving the hatred against identity groups, oppression, and violence.
We urge all to be: Responsible for Equality and Liberty.
Paris: Three Day Campaign of Terror Ends with Kosher Supermarket Killings
The past three days has seen a rapid and fluid campaign of terror against the people of Paris, which we have been reporting on Facebook due to the frequent changes. This began with the January 7 terrorist attack on the free press by terrorists Cherif Kouachi and Said Kouachi.
On January 7, the terrorist brothers Cherif and Said Kouachi killed cartoonists, writers at the Paris-based Charlie Hebdo magazine, as well as killing a visitor, a caretaker, and police. They killed 12 individuals and wounding 11, including killing two police officers (including one police officer who was a Muslim). The 12 victims of this terrorist attack in Paris were: Stephane Charbonnier, editor of Charlie Hebdo; Jean Cabut, cartoonist; Georges Wolinski, cartoonist; Bernard Verlhac, cartoonist; Philippe Honore, cartoonist; Bernard Maris, economist; Elsa Cayat, psychoanalyst and columnist; Mustapha Ourrad, copy editor; Michel Renaud, visitor; Frederic Boisseau, caretaker; Ahmed Merabet, policeman; Brigadier Franck Brinsolaro, police bodyguard.
On January 8, the terror campaign continued in Montrouge, with a terrorist murder of a black Paris policewoman Clarissa Jean-Philippe, who was dealing with a traffic accident. She was murdered by terrorist Amedy Coulibaly. The Daily Mail is reporting that “[i]t has now been suggested this attack may have been an aborted attempt to attack a Jewish school.”
On January 9, it has come to its third day with dual hostage taking in Dammartin-en-Goële and Porte de Vincennes boulevard areas.
In northern Paris, the terrorists Cherif and Said Kouachi brothers cornered by police and took at least one hostage at a printing shop in Dammartin-en-Goële, about 7.5 miles from Charles de Gaulle airport. French police launched an assault killing both of the terrorists, and releasing the hostage.
In eastern Paris, terrorist Amedy Coulibaly went to a Jewish kosher supermarket to take hostages of women and children at the Hyper Cacher (“Super Kosher”) in Paris, near Porte de Vincennes boulevard. We have learned that the terrorist killed hostages, and police stormed the supermarket to free the remaining hostages. It has been reported that children and babies were among the hostages held by the terrorists. According to French President Francois Hollande, four hostages were killed at the siege of the kosher supermarket. An Israeli government official has stated that 15 hostages were rescued. A YouTube video of the police raid on the Hyper Cacher supermarket where the hostages were held, clearly shows the bodies of dead hostages laying on the ground before the Paris police raided the building. At this time, the names of the victims have not been released.
French President Francois Hollande described the terrorist attack as “appalling anti-Semitic act.”
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Update (January 10, 2015). The French publication JSS News has published the names of the victims of the Hyper Cacher supermarket attack, and has asked us to share this information.
The January 9 terror attack victims were: 1. Yohan Cohen ( 22 years old), 2. Yoav Hattab (21 years, son of the Chief Rabbi of Tunis), 3. Philip Braham (forty years), 4. François-Michel Saada (sixties).
JSS News also states that: “In Judaism, we ask the faithful to pray for their souls. So be it. Thank you to share their names with the largest number so that we can never forget. And if you can, turn this evening a candle in their memory.”
We have also received numerous reports on those had to hide with small children in the supermarket freezers and other parts to protect themselves from the terrorist violence.
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In addition, there has been a report that police have police shut down central Paris’s historically Jewish Marais neighborhood, due to concern over other anti-Semitic terrorist threats.
On January 9, terrorists Cherif Kouachi and Said Kouachi were killed in a shoot-out with police during a police raid to release hostages in Dammartin-en-Goële. The Daily Mail reports that during conversations with police, Cherif Kouach stated: “I am a defender of the prophet. I was sent by Al Qaeda of Yemen. I’m financed by Imam Anwar al Awlaqi. Anwar is a (preacher).”
Also on January 9, terrorist Amedy Coulibaly was killed in a shoot-out with police during a police raid to release hostages at the Hyper Cacher supermarket in Parks. The Daily Mail reports that during separate conversations with police, Amedy Coulibaly “confirmed that he was in contact with the Kouachis and that the attacks had been ‘synchronized’. He said that he had swore allegiance to Islamic State in Iraq and had targeted the shop because ‘it was Jewish’.”
However, it is reported that Amedy Coulibaly had a female terror accomplice, Hayat Boumeddiene, with a birthdate of 6/26/1988. She remains at large.
The Independent reports that “It is believed that Ms. Boumedienne attended a suspected jihadist training camp in Cantal, a mountainous area of central France.”
Responsible for Equality And Liberty (R.E.A.L.) calls for all of our fellow human beings to denounce the terrorist attacks against the people in Paris, and anywhere in the world.
We know this terror campaign is not limited to France, but is a world war against all of humanity and all human freedoms and rights. Those who perform terrorist actions and those who support such terrorist activity attack our universal human rights. They represent a global threat to our shared universal human rights, which must be recognized and challenged by all human rights groups.
Responsible for Equality And Liberty (R.E.A.L.) urges our fellow human beings responsible for our shared universal human rights to continue to aggressively challenge and condemn such extremist groups and individuals – anywhere in the world, and using any language. Our shared universal human rights, as described in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), is essential for peace, harmony, respect, and security for all of our fellow human beings of every identity group, every nationality, and every religious view and conscience.
Due to the fluid and changing nature of this report, Responsible for Equality And Liberty (R.E.A.L.) has been reporting this campaign of terror against human rights on Facebook.
France: Enemies of Human Rights Praise Terror Campaign in France
As we have reported, many Muslim groups and individuals have publicly rejected the ongoing terror campaign in France. As these Muslims state, no religious views should rationalize murder and terrorism, and a campaign of attack against our shared universal human rights.
In the meantime, there are extremist groups and individuals who are expressing solidarity and support for the terror campaign against France. We know this terror campaign is not limited to France, but is a world war against all of humanity and all human freedoms and rights. They are supporting terrorism and calling for attacks on our universal human rights, and they represent enemies of our shared universal human rights. They represent a global threat to our shared universal human rights, which must be recognized and challenged by all human rights groups.
Responsible for Equality And Liberty (R.E.A.L.) urges our fellow human beings responsible for our shared universal human rights to continue to aggressively challenge and condemn such extremist groups and individuals – anywhere in the world, and using any language. Our shared universal human rights, as described in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), is essential for peace, harmony, respect, and security for all of our fellow human beings of every identity group, every nationality, and every religious view and conscience.
While Twitter is being used to express solidarity among people of all religions and all nations condemning the terror campaign in France, Twitter is also being used by extremists to promote support for this terrorism campaign by extremists, using the hashtag translated as #ExpelTheCrusaderAmongYou
It is reported that social media has also been used to spread support for the terror campaign in France, including on Facebook with comments such as “this is the harvest of the hatred that France has sowed.”
Somalia’s Shebab extremist group in Africa also praised the terror campaign in Paris as a “heroic” act. Ashram and AFP reported that the Shebab extremist’s Radio Andulus praised the terror campaign against the Charlie Hebdo publication stating, “[t]hey made millions of Muslims happy by taking action. Some misguided people claim that freedom of expression was attacked, but that is not the case, and the two heroic people acted accordingly.”
Reuters and Pakistan Nation report: “A fighter of the Islamic State militant group praised Wednesday’s attack on a French satirical magazine that killed at least 12 people, telling Reuters the raid was revenge for insults against Islam. ‘The lions of Islam have avenged our Prophet,’ said Abu Mussab, a Syrian who fights with the Islamic State, which has captured broad swathes of Iraqi and Syrian territory. ‘These are our lions. It’s the first drops – more will follow,’ he said, speaking via an internet connection from Syria. He added that he and his fellow fighters were happy about the incident. ‘Let these crusaders be scared because they should be.’ No group has so far claimed responsibility for the attack.”
The Algemeiner has published reports that “[o]ver the last several months, France has emerged as a top target for IS. In September 2014, IS spokesman Abu Muhammad Al Adanani urged IS supporters worldwide to mount attacks in their countries of residence against both military and civilian targets, using any means available. Al Adanani specifically identified France as a recommended target, a separate MEMRI dispatch reported at the time. Similar themes were echoed by several jihadi sympathizers on Twitter. A user identified as Najam wrote: “#Paris Is Burning. Oh Allah slaughter them, Allah attack them. This newspaper insulted the Messenger of Allah and Islam.’ Another user commented: ‘France turned the lands of the Muslims into battlefields, and now the Muslims have turned Paris into a battlefield. Allahu akhbar.'”
On December 23, 2014, the Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI) reported that, using Facebook, “French IS Supporters And Fighters Urge Attacks In France And Europe.” MEMRI specifically stated that IS spokesman Abu Muhammad Al-‘Adanan urged “IS supporters worldwide to perform attacks in their countries of residence against both military and civilian targets using any means possible. He specifically identified France as a recommended target.”
The USA Today published the comments by Bristish extremist Anjem Choudary, who rejected the concept of freedom of expression (which he is so dependent on), and stated that: “Muslims consider the honor of the Prophet Muhammad to be dearer to them than that of their parents or even themselves. To defend it is considered to be an obligation upon them. The strict punishment if found guilty of this crime under sharia (Islamic law) is capital punishment implementable by an Islamic State. This is because the Messenger Muhammad said, ‘Whoever insults a Prophet kill him.'”
The Radio Free Europe reported on praise for the terror campaign by British female extremists on Twitter, reporting that: “As news broke of the Paris attack, British female IS militant Umm Jafar Britaniyah, who is based in the Syrian town of Manbij, expressed her joy in a series of tweets. After her initial reaction — ‘ALLAHU AKBAR!!!!!! OUR brothers in France!!! May Allah reward them abundantly and grant them VICTORY AMEEN!!'” — Umm Jafar called on Allah to ‘help [the gunmen] kill as many kafirs [infidels] as they can.'”
Radio Free Europe also reported on another individual praising the terrorists: “Another female militant, who tweets in English under the name Umm Handhla posted her initial reaction to the attack: ‘ALLAHU.AKBAR buzzzzzzzzzzzzzn May allah protect the mujahideen in Franceeee!!! Shooting was maad!!'”
Radio Free Europe also stated that: “A male militant, who calls himself Abu Junaid As-Somali, and who tweeted extensively about the Charlie Hebdo attack tweeted his wish that Allah grant the two men access to Paradise, because they had ‘muted & killed that filthy najis [a person regarded as ritually unclean] Charlie.’ As-Somali had previously tried to claim that the IS group had been responsible for the Charlie Hebdo attack, tweeting about the ‘Islamic State wilayat [province] of Paris’ and telling ‘Muslims of France’ that they were lucky not to have to travel thousands of kilometers ‘to seek martyrdom.’ As-Somali added, ‘Violent Extemism is at ur doorstep, defend Islam there.'”
Radio Free Europe also reported of further calls to attack France, stating: “One video, released by Islamic State’s media wing, Al-Hayat, on November 20, 2014, features a group of French militants who urge French Muslims to carry out terrorist attacks in France. ‘Even poison is available, so poison the water and food of at least one of the enemies of Allah,’ one French militant says in the video.”
Radio Free Europe reported that “Bird of Jannah added that Muslims should not feel sorry for the victims of the Charlie Hebdo terrorist attack. ‘If you love them and feel sad for what happened to them, verily you carry no Al Walaa wal Baraa [loyalty and disavowal]. Your aqeedah [belief] has distorted! Fear Allah!’ she tweeted.”
Homeland Security Today also reported on support from other extremist groups for the terror campaign, as researched by Middle East groups. Homeland Security Today reported: “According to the Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI), Violent Extremist reaction to the attack on Charlie Hebdo was almost immediate. Participants on jihadi forums and social media praised the attackers, saying that the shooting was a legitimate act of revenge against the weekly for insulting Islam and against France for its crimes against Muslims,” said MEMRI Executive Director Steven Stalinsky. MEMRI said, ‘Members of the pro-ISIS forum Violent Extemismi Media Platform (alplatformmedia.com) lashed out at France. A member called Al Dia’ Al Gharib wrote: ‘France was [once] part of the land of Islam and will return to be the land of Islam, in spite the worshippers of the Cross.”” “Another, who goes by the name Muhib Al Salihin, wrote: ‘France is one of the harshest enemies of Islam and of the Islamic State in particular.” Forum member Abu Al Qassem Al Shawqi commented: ‘[This] is news that quenches the thirst for revenge. By Allah, beloved ones, let us not think lightly of prayers. By Allah, they [the attackers] are soldiers of Allah.’ And a member calling himself Abu Bakr Al Zari’ni remarked: ‘Congratulations to France and to its people for reaping what their hands sowed. Did these evil cartoonists think that we were a nation that would remain silent in face of those who insult our Prophet…? Did [French President] Hollande and the governments that preceded him think that their interventions and despotism in the lands of the Muslims would not be met with retribution? No, by Allah, from now on the youths of Islam will no longer remain silent, especially since we have a state [ISIS] to mobilize armies if anybody insults the nation of Islam.’”
Homeland Security Today also reported that: “Arabic-speaking jihad supporters also celebrated the attack on Twitter, some using the Arabic hashtag ‘Paris Is Burning,’” MEMRI reporte
d, saying, “Many of them shared videos from the scene of the attack, calling the shooters ‘heroes’ and praising them for avenging the honor of the Prophet and of Islam. One, who calls himself Najam (@35njm), wrote: ‘#Paris Is Burning. Oh Allah slaughter them, Allah attack them. This newspaper insulted the Messenger of Allah and Islam.’ ISIS supporter Hamel Al Liwa’ (@blue964) tweeted: ‘Fear prevails among the newspapers and journalists who hate Islam. There are demands for military protection of the paper headquarters. #Paris is turning into a military barracks.’ Another ISIS supporter, Al Khilafa Hiya Al Hal [‘the Caliphate is the solution’] (@death4x), shared a video of the attack and commented: ‘France turned the lands of the Muslims into battlefields, and now the Muslims have turned Paris into a battlefield. Allah Akbar.’”
Homeland Security also reported other reactions from French speakiing extremists on Twitter. “ISIS supporter Abou Hafs (@Ansar_Al_Ouma) tweeted: ‘Oh Allah, the honor of your prophet has been cleansed.’ Another, Al Furat Wadijlah (@AlFuratWadijlah), commented on the character of the attack: ‘An RPG7 with Kalashnikovs, it’s a well prepared assault.’ He added: ‘That dog Charb [Charlie Hebdo editor-in-chief and cartoonist Stéphane Charbonnier, who is one of those killed in the attack] was supposed to publish this drawing on the first page this week.'”
Responsible for Equality And Liberty (R.E.A.L.) understands that we and the media can always find extremists in every identity group, which we will all reject. But there is a difference between ranting lunatics and individuals actively supporting terrorism against our fellow human begins, as well as such terrorist committing such violence. We cannot simply “ignore” such extremists, but also must challenge such views.
It is not simple or comfortable to challenge such extremists that claim to be within our own identity group. I am very well aware of this in my own years of challenges to white individuals, who have racial supremacist views, and I am well aware of the violent reactions from such ideological challenges. But we cannot abandon on defense of human rights, simply because it is difficult.
R.E.A.L. calls for the continuing rejection and challenging of such extremist views which defy our shared universal human rights, undermine shared need for security, respect, dignity, and peace, and which disgrace every religious view by calling for violence and hatred as a means to suppress the rights of others.
