French National Front leader Marine Le Pen calls for ban on wearing of the Jewish skullcap in public - 'in the name of equality'

Far right politician Marine Le Pen has caused outrage across France by calling for the banning of the Jewish skullcap in public. The leader of National Front won a fifth of the popular vote during the first round of May’s presidential election on a largely anti-Muslim immigration agenda. Now in an interview she has called not just for a ban on the wearing of Islamic veils in public, but also the kippah – leading to France’s most senior Rabbi to describe her view as ‘deeply deplorable’. Her inflammatory words come at a time of heightened tensions caused by a Paris satirical magazine’s decision to publish a series of cartoons mocking both Islam and Judaism.Read more