Paris, 19 May 2023

Madam Prime Minister,

You will recall our conversation, regarding the rise in extremism – both left and right of the political spectrum – and your concern particularly regarding the scourge of antisemitism in France.

Photo France Bleu

We bring to your attention the disgraceful depiction of President Macron as Hitler, in posters plastered over Avignon, which seems to have become a stage for extremists, as denounced by our Centre on several occasions.

There is no humour, but pure contempt, for this defamatory depiction of the President of France.

The representation of Hitler has been used in the recent past, as in the case of former German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Turkish Islamic-newspapers, such as Güneş (The Sun), or also by Czech xenophobic far-right and extreme-left anti-Euro militants in Italy or Greece.

Madam Prime Minister, we urge that those responsible for these posters in Avignon be identified and called to account for their hate crime.

Most Respectfully,

Dr Shimon Samuels
Director for International Relations
Simon Wiesenthal Centre

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