French far-right militants convicted in mosque occupation
Source: Associated Press
Elaine Ganley, Associated Press
Updated 1:08 pm, Thursday, December 7, 2017
PARIS (AP) — The French far-right group Generation Identity and five of its members were convicted Thursday of organizing and taking part in a 2012 anti-Muslim demonstration on the roof of a mosque in the city of Poitiers, near where Arab invaders were stopped in the 8th century.
In an especially strong response to the protest, the court handed down suspended prison sentences for each of the five and fines amounting to nearly 40,000 euros (some $472,15.)
Generation Identity, calling the decision "a scandal," said on its Facebook page that the five would immediately lodge an appeal, and asked for donations from sympathizers.
"The conviction of peaceful young citizens warning the French of the danger of the development of Islamism and massive immigration is particularly scandalous," the group's statement said, noting the terror attacks in Paris, Nice and elsewhere in France that have killed hundreds of people.
Read more: http://www.chron.com/news/world/article/French-far-right-militants-convicted-in-mosque-12413152.php