After accusations from the Minister of the Interior, the footballer reacted through his lawyer, formally refuting Gérald Darmanin’s comments.
It’s a phrase that hasn’t gone unnoticed. Monday October 16, 2023, while he was on the set of the show Pro Hour by Pascal Praud on CNews, the Minister of the Interior, Gérald Darmanin, simply accused Karim Benzema of being “linked to the Muslim Brotherhood”. While he was questioned about the Islamist organization, the tenant of Beauvau precisely declared that “for several weeks, [il s]is of particular interest… Mr. Benzema has a notorious connection, as we all know, with the Muslim Brotherhood.” And added: “We are attacking a hydra that is the Muslim Brotherhood because they give an atmosphere of jihadism like said Gilles Kepel.”
An accusation which did not fail to reach the ears of the main person concerned, who reacted through his lawyer, Me Hugues Vigier, this Wednesday, October 18, firmly refuting the words of Gérald Darmanin, as relayed The Parisian. Speaking to the capital’s daily newspaper, the footballer’s advisor initially declared that “Karim Benzema has never had the slightest relationship with this organization.” And to point out: “[Le footballeur] has also chosen to live in Arabia which has decreed the said terrorist organization, which France has never done.”
A complaint filed
On Wednesday October 19, Karim Benzema’s lawyer announced on RMC that he was filing a complaint against the Minister of the Interior. “Karim Benzema could confirm it himself, he has no link, either remotely or directly, with the Muslim Brotherhood, it is unimaginable what was said,” the lawyer initially said before denounce the accusations one by one. On the fact that Benzema never sang the Marseillaise? “We must also ask the question of whether a song from 1795 has all its meaning as it is today regardless of the chills we perhaps experience when we hear it,” launched the lawyer. In his photo with the Imam of Meaux? “You have a man who poses in photos with thousands of people because as soon as people see him, they want to have a photo with him. That appalls me but these are the times. Among those are some “one of whom we can say: he poses a problem. But how did he know? He (Benzema) is not the first police officer in France, he does not have all his information and is not supposed to have it” explains the lawyer again, an annoyed tone before concluding explaining that what the minister says is “wind”.