The far-right French polemicist told the French news channel CNews about the unaccompanied youth on September 29, 2020: “They have no business here. They are thieves, they are murderers, they are rapists. That is all they are, one must send them back and they don’t even have to come.” The former journalist also spoke of a “permanent invasion” and “a problem of immigration policy”.
Zemmour was not present when the verdict was handed down. His lawyer Olivier Pardo has already announced that he will appeal. Zemmour himself called his conviction “ideological and stupid”. He believes that the court has sentenced him for giving his opinion. The politician has been repeatedly persecuted in the past for racism, incitement to hatred or denial of crimes against humanity.
Zemmour is a former journalist, writer and media personality. He announced last November that he wants to become president of France. In December he announced the name of his party: Reconquête (reconquest). He said that a possible victory would not be a change of power, but “a recapture of the best country in the world”.
The presidential candidate will in any case be up against the right-wing Marine Le Pen (Rassemblement National) and the conservative Valérie Pécresse (Les Républicains) in the elections in April. Zemmour will probably also face sitting President Emmanuel Macron (La République En Marche!). Macron has not yet announced a final decision on his participation, but has already said in an interview with the newspaper ‘Le Parisien’ that he wants to participate. In recent polls, Zemmour was in fourth place.