JOEL SAGET / AFP
Elie Semoun filed a complaint after receiving death threats.
THREATS – The conflict between Israel and Hamas and the devastating consequences suffered by the inhabitants of the Gaza Strip have been exported to French universities and colleges. Sciences Po Paris students launched a pro-Palestine protest and mobilization movement which made comedian Élie Semoun cringe. After taking a critical stance towards these students and their blocking on social networks, the comedian was targeted by death threats.
On April 29, Élie Semoun spoke on Instagram. In the story, on a photo montage of Sciences Po Paris students then mobilized, he wrote: “ Bands of uneducated morons who promote Hamas which refuses the ceasefire, who steal money intended for the Palestinians, who hold them hostage, etc., etc. When they are in France, we will send them to receive them. »
A position which provoked numerous reactions, as the comedian confided to our colleagues at Parisian. “ I called Sciences Po students uneducated morons […]. Maybe I shouldn’t have. Those were probably the wrong words. But I am so angry and helpless in the face of this anti-Semitic wave, in the face of all this ignorance. »
In this interview, Élie Semoun says he was the target of“a surge of hatred and insults, [le] treating in particular, since it is the rule today, “dirty Zionist””. But also death threats which pushed him to file a complaint at the police station a few days later, encouraged by those around him.
The creator of Offers however, explains not having ” fear “, in a climate that he nevertheless describes as deleterious. “ It’s not in my temperament and I feel safe. But hypervigilant, yes. And undoubtedly much too caught up in social networks since October 7. I only see that, I only talk about that, it’s become obsessive”says the comedian.
Elie Semoun worried about the Jews
During this interview, Élie Semoun also addresses the overall situation of Jews in the world, which he considers very complex. “ I am certain that times are going to be hard for the Jews. Anti-Semitism is coming back, and the worst thing is that it was the pogrom of October 7 that opened the floodgates, at a time when we could expect the world to close ranks around the Jews, share our pain. I expected a lasting wave of empathy, and then no. »
Asked about the response “ruthless” Israeli action in Gaza, against which students from Sciences Po Paris and those from other universities are mobilizing, the actor kicks in. “ Israel is not the country some demonize. It is a beautiful, democratic country, where Jews and Arabs live together, exchange economically and culturally. Hamas terrorists have succeeded: Israel has lost the battle of public opinion. »
Several blockages and mobilizations took place in certain French universities, and in particular at Sciences Po Paris. The CRS intervened there at the end of last week to dislodge around fifty pro-Palestine demonstrators, in anticipation of the exams which are to take place there this Monday, May 6. The police also intervened on May 3 to evacuate pro-Palestinian demonstrators from the Sciences Po Lyon site. In the United States, the mobilization is even stronger where around forty university campuses are involved in demonstrations.
Also see on HuffPost :
Reading this content may result in cookies being placed by the third party operator who hosts it. Taking into account the choices you have expressed regarding the deposit of cookies, we have blocked the display of this content. If you wish to access it, you must accept the “Third Party Content” category of cookies by clicking on the button below.
Play Video
