24.01.2014 Jean-Marie Le Pen appears unrepentant

The founder and honorary president of the National Front, Jean-Marie Le Pen, repeated in a video message his racist remarks against Rroma, remarks for which he was sentenced in late 2013 to a fine of five thousand Euro. Le Pen insists on his view that Rroma are natural thieves: “La condamnation ne l’effraye pas. Le président d’honneur du Front national Jean-Marie Le Pen a répété vendredi 27 décembre des propos pour lesquels il a écopé de 5000 euros d’amende pour injure publique envers un groupe de personnes en raison de son appartenance à une ethnie le 19 décembre. Il avait affirmé que les Roms „comme les oiseaux“ „volent naturellement.““[The condemnation doesn’t scare him. The honorary president of the National Front, Jean-Marie Le Pen repeated Friday the 27th of December statements for which he was condemned to a 5000 euro fine for public insults against a group of people due to their ethic appurtenance on December 19th. He had stated that Rroma “ as birds”, are “natural thieves”” He therefore reinforces widely held stereotypes that ascribe the Rroma a culturally-related delinquency. That such statements are completely absurd and lack any common sense should be clear to any person thinking critically (L’express 2014).