French Mayor Found Guilty Of Incitement For Saying 91% Muslim Classrooms Are a 'Problem'

A key adviser to Marine Le Pen has been found guilty of inciting hatred against Muslims.

Robert Menard, mayor of Beziers, was fined 2,000 euros for saying there were too many Muslim children in his city's schools.

During an interview on TV, Menard said: "In one of the classrooms in my town centre, 91 per cent of children are Muslim. Obviously this is a problem"

He had also posted a tweet comparing a school picture from the 1970s to one taken recently which he said proved the conspiracy theory of a "great replacement," which claims Muslim immigrants are replacing the traditional French population.

The prosecutor said Menard had reduced children "to their religion, regardless of whether they have French nationality or do not practice".

Menard was convicted of an "incitement to hatred and discrimination".

C'est une décision de circonstance. Si dire ce que l'on voit est un délit... Je fais évidemment appel. https://t.co/MyccGHU1gN

— Robert Ménard (@RobertMenardFR) April 25, 2017

In a tweet sent after being convicted, he said he was "obviously appealing".