Controversial French comedian Dieudonné denied entry to Hong Kong, Cyberport shows cancelled
French performer flies back to Paris after being detained and two shows are cancelled
A controversial “hate-speech” comedian with links to the far-right was on a plane back to Paris last night after being denied entry to Hong Kong where he had hoped to perform two shows.
French comic Dieudonne M’bala M’bala was detained by immigration officials at Hong Kong International Airport shortly after 7:30am yesterday after arriving on a flight from Bangkok following a trouble-free show in the Thai capital.
The block on Dieudonne’s entry came after high-level diplomatic interventions by Israel and France, who warned that his planned appearances – at a Cyberport venue last night and tonight – could have led to disorder and even violence if they went ahead.
While declining to comment on an individual case, a spokesman for the Immigration Department said: “We are committed to upholding effective immigration control by denying the entry of undesireables.’’
Dieudonne, who has convictions for inciting racial hatred through his anti-Semitic jokes and comments, insists the gesture is simply anti-establishment. However, he has failed to distance himself from groups and individuals who have posted photographs of themselves doing the quenelle outside synagogues, Holocaust memorials, Jewish schools and even at the infamous Nazi death camp at Auschwitz in Poland.
After seven hours of questioning the comedian was released.