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. PARIS (Reuters) - French former film star Brigitte Bardot went on
trial on Tuesday for insulting Muslims, the fifth time she has faced
the charge of "inciting racial hatred" over her controversial remarks
about Islam and its followers.
Prosecutors asked that the Paris court hand the 73-year-old former sex
symbol a two-month suspended prison sentence and fine her 15,000 euros
($23,760) for saying the Muslim community was "destroying our country
and imposing its acts".
Since retiring from the film industry in the 1970s, Bardot has become
a prominent animal rights activist but she has also courted
controversy by denouncing Muslim traditions and immigration from
predominantly Muslim countries.
She has been fined four times for inciting racial hatred since 1997,
at first 1,500 euros and most recently 5,000.
Prosecutor Anne de Fontette told the court she was seeking a tougher
sentence than usual, adding: "I am a little tired of prosecuting Mrs
Bardot."
Bardot did not attend the trial because she said she was physically
unable to. The verdict is expected in several weeks.
French anti-racist groups complained last year about comments Bardot
made about the Muslim feast of Eid al-Adha in a letter to President
Nicolas Sarkozy that was later published by her foundation.
Muslims traditionally mark Eid al-Adha by slaughtering a sheep or
another animal to commemorate the prophet Abraham's willingness to
sacrifice his son on God's orders.
France is home to 5 million Muslims, Europe's largest Muslim
community, making up 8 percent of France's population.
"I am fed up with being under the thumb of this population which is
destroying us, destroying our country and imposing its acts," the star
of 'And God created woman' and 'Contempt' said.
Bardot has previously said France is being invaded by sheep-
slaughtering Muslims and published a book attacking gays, immigrants
and the unemployed, in which she also lamented the "Islamisation of
France".
(Reporting by Thierry Leveque; writing by Francois Murphy, editing by
Mary Gabriel)
trial on Tuesday for insulting Muslims, the fifth time she has faced
the charge of "inciting racial hatred" over her controversial remarks
about Islam and its followers.
Prosecutors asked that the Paris court hand the 73-year-old former sex
symbol a two-month suspended prison sentence and fine her 15,000 euros
($23,760) for saying the Muslim community was "destroying our country
and imposing its acts".
Since retiring from the film industry in the 1970s, Bardot has become
a prominent animal rights activist but she has also courted
controversy by denouncing Muslim traditions and immigration from
predominantly Muslim countries.
She has been fined four times for inciting racial hatred since 1997,
at first 1,500 euros and most recently 5,000.
Prosecutor Anne de Fontette told the court she was seeking a tougher
sentence than usual, adding: "I am a little tired of prosecuting Mrs
Bardot."
Bardot did not attend the trial because she said she was physically
unable to. The verdict is expected in several weeks.
French anti-racist groups complained last year about comments Bardot
made about the Muslim feast of Eid al-Adha in a letter to President
Nicolas Sarkozy that was later published by her foundation.
Muslims traditionally mark Eid al-Adha by slaughtering a sheep or
another animal to commemorate the prophet Abraham's willingness to
sacrifice his son on God's orders.
France is home to 5 million Muslims, Europe's largest Muslim
community, making up 8 percent of France's population.
"I am fed up with being under the thumb of this population which is
destroying us, destroying our country and imposing its acts," the star
of 'And God created woman' and 'Contempt' said.
Bardot has previously said France is being invaded by sheep-
slaughtering Muslims and published a book attacking gays, immigrants
and the unemployed, in which she also lamented the "Islamisation of
France".
(Reporting by Thierry Leveque; writing by Francois Murphy, editing by
Mary Gabriel)