Its insane that someone gets a trail for somenthing like this. I suspected It must be true if they need to persecute him. Some people say that truth goes past 3 stages. First its ridiculed, then persecuted and at last accepted. I guess we are at stage 2. Its a lose lose situation for the persecutors.

Nicole Berry, Turin, Italy

The issue here is one of freedom of speech. What Le Pen said does not matter, and only matters to those who listen to him and let themselves become angered by him. Therefore, the thing to do is ignore him. By prosecuting him, the French government is merely oiling the flames and making things worse, giving him the oxygen of publicity. This continental obsession with banning 'politically incorrect ' speech is a massive own goal and will only help the extremists by making them the victims of intolerant laws. Words, no matter how offensive, stupid or absurd, do absolutely no harm. Causing offence is not sufficient reason to have a banning law, because almost anything in the modern world causes offence to many people. Mr Le Pen is as much entitled to air his opinion as Mr Sarkozy or anyone else in France.

Mark LV, Reading, UK

How someone with a name like Samuel Young gets a vote in Ireland is annoying to say the least.

Peter Darcy, Dublin, Ireland

"In America, you can burn the flag" ???

In theory, yes. However, America had very little Nazi collaboration to deal with. And, in truth, trying to burn a flag, at least in half the states, will get you beaten, arrested and improsioned for anything from disorderly conduct to causing a riot.

We have a fascist movement all our own that we're in the middle of a desperate strugle with at this very moment. As the bottom 25% of the population, nurtured on Jerry Springer and empowered by GW, flex their muscles, American freedom of speech becomes more academic and less real every day.

Our much heralded freedom of speech is meaningless in a fascist environment. So would yours be.

Marcus, Northwest, USA/GA

It's stupid to say what Le Pen said, the more since there's no need to fight the battles of yesterday. But a democratic constitution also protects the right to tell non-sense.

Dr. Rolf-Peter Lacher, Gammertingen, Germany

For Samuel,

We still have some freedom of speech (provided it doesn't upset some foreigner) and we could say what Monsieur Le Penn said without any action other than disapproval.

The people here in the UK were never given the democracy that they demanded and Stalin Brown, head Kommissar of the Nu Labor Communist Party, signed the EU treaty in Lisbon against the wishes of 96% of the British people. The People were denied the referendum they demanded.

The very people who have stolen the people's hard earned democracy are the very same people who would make Le Penn's observations illegal, just as it is in France and most of Europe.

Interestingly, Le Penn's British equivalent, Nick Griffin of the BNP has sworn that he will give the People the democracy they want and if they wish for the treaty to be torn up then he will do so when he comes to power. If the majority of the People want out of the EU then he will pull the country out.

Brian Cosworth, Banbury, England

I must say i like this Mr Le Pen.

Mr Ison, Dunstable, UK

Le Pen is right . In fact his comments are understated
many will say .


People must be free to state their opinion

Grendon Underwood, London UK,

For Samuel, if individuals really could say and do what they wanted, we would never had had Hitler come to power in a democracy and ruin all of Europe and destablize the world forever after...Thank God Europe was saved and you have the right to vote no in a referendum. By the power of the tyranny of the majority, hopefully, no one will listen to you!!

Nicolette, The Hague, Netherlands

Dear Samuel Young,
I agree with you about individual freedom, but the reason because the Unites States are more free than the Europeans is that the Americans won the WW2 while Europe lost. The US won with the Soviet Union and they gave half Europe to the Russians, leaving Europe under the influence of political parties controlled by Moscow. I don't like Le Pen, but is right telling that German occupation in France was not particularly inhumane: the French made no opposition to Germans, more than half of French were pro-German and they made peace with Germany. Yes, the Germans killed 76.000 Jews like everywhere, but the problem is that during WW2 50millions of people died in inhumane way. If Europe is not able to admit that WW2 happened because Europeans were not able to share power in the world. So they lost all their power and also free speech. Europe today seem Italy during the Reanissance: many little states and big nation like the US, Russia, Cina, and so on.

antonio, rome, italy

This is one example of why i am voting "No" to the European Referendum (in Ireland). I, as an individual, wish to express my individual opinions, and i don't want suits or wigs in offices and courtrooms telling me what i can and cannot do or say.
In America, you can burn the flag, and you can join the Nazi party. You might not want to, but you can if you wish. That's the way forward for Europe. I hope Jean-Marie Le Pen is cleared of all charges.

Samuel Young, Paris, France