France Inter comedian Guillaume Meurice was fired “ for serious misconduct » by Radio France after having reiterated his controversial remarks about Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, he announced this Tuesday to AFP.
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Public radio notified Guillaume Meurice by mail of the “ early termination of (her) contract for serious misconduct “, he said even though he had been suspended since the beginning of May. It’s here ” end of a false suspense “, he estimated.
“ I took this decision for repeated disloyalty towards the company », justified the president of Radio France, Sibyle Veil, in an email sent to staff. “ Neither freedom of expression nor humor have ever been threatened at Radio France “, she assured, reproaching Guillaume Meurice for having “ inflamed the controversy for months “.
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Guillaume Meurice had an interview prior to possible dismissal on May 16 with human resources at Radio France, then went before the disciplinary committee on May 30, before the decision announced on Tuesday. A figure in the show “Le grand Dimanche soir”, presented by Charline Vanhoenacker, Guillaume Meurice was removed from the air on May 2, four days after having reiterated his controversial remarks about Benyamin Netanyahu made for the first time at the end of October.
“ Repeated disloyalty »
He compared it to a “ kind of Nazi, but without foreskin “, which led to accusations of anti-Semitism and a complaint, which was ultimately dismissed. These comments also earned Radio France a warning from Arcom, the audiovisual regulator.
“ By finally repeating his comments on the air in April, Guillaume Meurice ignored the warning he had received, the Arcom warning and diverted the prosecutor’s decision » to dismiss the complaint, argued Sibyle Veil. “ He left us no choice but to draw the consequences of his obstinacy and repeated disloyalty. “, she judged.
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The suspension of Guillaume Meurice caused a strike at France Inter on Sunday May 12. At the end of May, the Radio France unions and the France Inter editorial staff asked their management to give up “ to a dismissal decision » from the comedian, believing that this “ would create a serious precedent ” For “ freedom of speech “.