Dieudonne on Press TV

Last month, the French performer Dieudonné Mbala Mbala visited London where he had some trouble finding a venue to perform his latest show, due to his record of antisemitic statements in France. This was one of an increasing number of visits to the UK by Dieudonné; in January, he came to London to have his son baptised by the Holocaust-denying Bishop Richard Williamson, at the Society of St Pius X centre in Wimbledon.

It turns out that before arriving in London in April Dieudonné had been in Iran, where he gave an interview to Press TV setting out his views on Israel, Zionism and related topics. The interview was broadcast on Press TV in the UK and can be watched in full below, or on the Press TV website (scroll down to 7th April). Some of his more striking comments are transcribed below (the transcript is taken from Press TV's own English translation of Dieudonné's French):

Interviewer: And why are you against Zionism? What motivates you to be against it?

Dieudonne: Well, it began simply with the issue on equal competition: a republic which does not treat its citizens equally. What I’m trying to say is in France, for example, we commemorate only one of the events that have caused suffering for people: the Holocaust. Other events where mankind has suffered injustice are completely overlooked, for example: slavery in French colonies, the Algerian war and many other events are never mentioned. The Zionist lobby imposes an unequal competition; a hierarchy in the sufferings of different communities, which is completely obscene. But it is no surprise coming from a type of individual with an immoral or unfair character, who is, from a philosophical point of view, to some extent, mediocre. But today, they have taken France as hostage and we are in the hands of ignorant people, who know how to structure themselves into a mafia-like organisation and… have now taken over a country that deserves much better leaders than those who are in charge.

Interviewer: And in what way do you think your job has helped you tell the truth?

Dieudonne: I believe that artists in France and comedians who play with words and make people laugh are in the front line of freedom of expression. He is there to dig out the tensions and problems in society; and unfortunately today, authorities are putting more pressure particularly on me, directly, and other comedians are generally afraid and freedom of expression is decreasing in France. Here in Iran, however, especially regarding the issue of Zionism… there is a lot of freedom of expression and for Iranians who are listening to this, well… the subject of Zionism is something that’s not considered a big deal because everyone can talk about it and everyone knows about it. But in France, it is taboo to talk about it since… France is being led by Zionists who frankly try to put things in order that serves their interests. They had a lot of power and they are violent; but not at all brave, and they stab you in the back and neutralise you economically. I, myself, was attacked in the street by four Israelis, which I have to add that… they were arrested. I went to prison but the media didn’t talk about it. My children were also attacked; my two little sons… but again the media did not talk about it. They only know to say one thing. The media, which is in accordance with Zionism and that’s what they keep saying: antisemite, antisemite. But this is not true. The truth is that I am not an antisemite. But this has never existed, and as far as I am concerned I have obviously never had any issues with Judaism.

Interviewer: You said that this was about comedy and making people laugh, but how are they supposed to laugh at someone else’s suffering?

Dieudonne: I don’t want to, and I would obviously never give myself the right to laugh at someone else’s suffering. I can laugh at the way the suffering is used. For example, in France, the Holocaust, which has now become like a dominant religion. It has replaced even Jesus Christ. We have to… we are obligated to accept this dogma and pray for it almost every night and teach it to other children. It’s the way the Zionists are using this suffering of the Jews, which has obviously suffered; but of course not more than many others in history… and it is a suffering that should not be denied, just like the others; and they have commercialised this suffering. Now this is something that we can laugh at. I have just finished writing a song and I would like to point out that it is a short song for children and it’s called ‘Shoananas’ or ‘Holocaust pineapples’, in which I try to explain that we should not let ourselves go with the flow of this way of preferring the suffering of a certain group over others, who have also suffered. Humanity as a whole has suffered and nobody is better than the others. For those who believe in God is watching over us; and for others who don’t, there is nature and Evolution or whatever they believe in. What I’m trying to say is that Zionism is dividing humanity. It’s trying to rule by making us fight one another. They have organised all the wars and organised all the disorders on this planet. They were involved in the Slave Trade. We should know that ninety percent of the ships that relocated the Africans to the West Indies belonged to Jews, and the majority of slave traders were Jews. Obviously, Jews today are not responsible for what happened; but this is a reality and this, for example, is something we are not allowed to talk about. There are other things, for example, Christians and the Protestants… but as far as black people are concerned and the triangular trade goes, this was very important meaning that this should no longer be a business limited to the Jews. A certain religious dimension should be created that includes Christians as well.

[...]

Interviewer: And do you see this as a kind of modern colonialism?

Dieudonne: Well, yes. We have actually never ended the age of colonialism. I believe that it is important for the economic interests and energy independence of France to continue to rob these countries. Unlike Iran, France does not natural resources. Therefore, just like the US and Israel, it has to get the raw material it needs from other countries in the world to organise wars, organise September 11th [2001], to be able to argue that we should launch a war on terror and go to war in Afghanistan and base military troops in Iraq, and etc… And the list goes on. The US is a country that is falling apart itself, and I know about it a little; and I visit Canada very often. We’ve seen this happen to unjust systems like the stock market, where a small number of people get to ruin a country; eliminate jobs of many people… this system is a Zionist system. I would like to point to Mr. [Bernie] Madoff, who managed to make a lot of money, and much of it went to Israel. So, actually, Israel has turned into a place where gangsters and the thieves, who rob the world, not to mention liars. I think that Israel has brought them together. Of course, I do acknowledge that there are some honest people and people who have been deceived. But the greatest mafia in mankind has been located there.

Interviewer: And do you think that there is anyway to get out of this situation?

Dieudonne: I think that the empire has never been this much beautiful before it falls apart. I believe that Israel will soon disintegrate from inside. All we need to do is wait to see the lies of the imposters to destroy itself. And I have to admit that I will be happy; I am going to be among those who will celebrate this destruction. I have realised that… I have always been more of a person who doesn’t believe in borders. For me, humanity is a whole, indivisible. We should always fight against those who have bad intentions, and I believe that there are those people on this planet that wish bad things for others; and there are those who have created the state of Israel.

Interviewer: You said that you’re against every kind of racism and extremism. Is there any other event that you’ve talked about or is it only…?

Dieudonne: I talk about every topic. In fact, I have to add that… in my shows, I don’t focus only on the issues of Zionism. Although, as time goes by, Zionism becomes more interesting topic for humorous…

Interviewer: And that’s because of the restriction?

Dieudonne: Because they are ridiculous. Raw material for a clown are silly things to laugh at and there is nothing sillier than Zionism. It’s mediocre. In humanist terms, it’s stupidity: it is the opposite of intelligent thought, if you will. We’re here to live together. But what Zionism says is that we’re here to live by crushing other people. It is a social project, which tries to insulate a group of individuals, which I should add… sentenced them to death in order to dominate the world and create trouble. And I truly believe to be a discourse, which has found a great audience here in Iran. I am talking about this subject, among your people and with your president. It did a discourse that is heard a lot. Not many politicians talk about it; I don’t want to get into Iran’s internal affairs… I don’t know Iran’s story. What I know is that the voice of your president, when we hear it outside the borders; and I can tell you that you can be proud of this voice because it inspires people and gives them courage. It allows people to say finally we are capable of resisting what appeared to be irresistible. We should not forget that they are very rich and all the glamour surrounding them, they can cause trouble for some people.

Interviewer: You have met with President Mohammed Ahmadinejad. Would you like to tell us what happened with the meeting and what you talked about?

Dieudonne: It was essentially about people who endure injustices. And the best ways for them is to resist and fight; and he [Ahmadinejad] agreed that a culture is the most effective way to fight in a pacifist manner against injustice and, consequently, Zionism. And humour, in particular. I would like to talk about this project, called ‘Shoananas’; and I think what really surprised me was the openness on the part of the president. And that you point that using culture, we can change the world; change the rapport between humans and see egotism and lies and racism disappear. Things that have been integrated by the Zionists’ project, and I think that Iran, as an example, is creating the movement. And I can imagine that it’s a heavy burden for Iranians to carry and… sacrifices and the desire of the youth to see something change, which I understand and is completely legitimate. I am not going to comment on that; but you should know that these efforts have turned Iran into a country, which has become the last battleground for resistance and which is helping this develop all around the world like in Venezuela, for example; and in Europe, political movements like the Anti-Zionist Party, which is developing all around Europe and was established in France by Yahia Gouasmi and me. And today, it is developing in Belgium and Switzerland and… everywhere. And people are becoming more and more aware and… they have begun realising that they have been brainwashed and… these are illusions. The combatants should wake up; obviously, combatants of peace, those who are attached to justice… we have turned into sheep, kittens who are being set with illusions and submissiveness. Now today the kitten becomes a lion that is turning against the Zionists.

[...]

Interviewer: Did you get good results in the polls for the European Union? Are you satisfied?

Dieudonne: When I say forty thousand people… and we started up with only three people and we reached forty thousand, and that on the chessboard of Parisian politics means 1.3% of the votes. Of course, I should mention that sixty percent abstained. But as a first step, we have done much better than many other parties and I wish to say that considering the facilities we had this is an exceptional result. If you multiply the facilities by ten, we can become an opposition in the coming years I think. I have a provocation to make people laugh and to continue my job as an artist; but there are certain people who have taken the movement into their own hands and increasing[ly] there are those who adhere to it. And the reason I am here is because they are people here who follow us and watch what we are doing and have let us meet other people. Iran has become a place where anti-Zionists can meet and communicate and develop.

[...]

Interviewer: Have you made investments on the new generation: the kids? You’ve already told us about ‘Shoananas’.

Dieudonne: ‘Shoananas’ premiers this summer, which is the means which will allow kids dance and to learn at the same time. Well, I like pineapples, so I think this clip will allow us to have fun. Normally, we will be touring and I’m going to bring the show here in Tehran.

Interviewer: Thank you very much. And the final question which I have for you is regarding the movie that you are planning to make here in Iran. Would you like to tell us more about that?

Dieudonne: In France, when I wanted to make the first movie, and I just told you about the triangular trade, the slave trade buying and selling people: men and women and children, who were snatched from Africa, put on ships and taken to America or the Caribbeans to work in the fields, sold to families who later became… Rothschild’s and Rockefellers, and we have never had the chance to see this story… because the extremely powerful lobby, that dominates the world, tells the story using the cinema that serves its interests. It’s propaganda. We shouldn’t. Israeli investments made in arms are important; but they are multiplied by ten or twenty when it comes to the cinema industry. This means that every time there is a bad guy in a Hollywood film… there was a time when he was Russian; now there is Iran. Take Radio Fardo, for example: this is the strategy for the lies to conquer and dominate. Let’s not forget the cinema is, first and foremost, telling a story that it could be a lie because it is not a documentary. These lies are orientated in the cinema in a way that they serve the Zionists’ interests. So making a movie that tells historical truth is difficult because I’ve worked with a historian for over a year and a talented cinematographer (sic), we’ve come up with a scenario: does it reflect the truth? I don’t really know. But it was written honestly, which is why it will only be made in Iran; of course, with international movie stars from the United States and France.

The film which Dieudonne describes is almost certainly the product of this arrangement for the Iranian government to fund his "cultural struggle against Zionism".