Far-right presidential contender convicted of hate speech
By SYLVIE CORBET
The Associated Press
PARIS (AP) — A Paris court has convicted French far-right presidential candidate Éric Zemmour for inciting racial hatred over 2020 comments he made about unaccompanied migrant children. Zemmour was also sentenced to pay several thousand euros in damages to anti-racist groups. Zemmour said he will appeal the decision. He has two prior hate speech convictions. The former TV pundit is running in France’s April 10 presidential election. Zemmour wasn’t present at court for his trial or the verdict. The case against Zemmour focused on September 2020 comments that he made about children who migrate to France without parents or guardians. Zemmour is drawing fervent audiences to his presidential rallies with his anti-Islam, anti-immigration invective.