Brigitte Bardot convicted over racism

A Paris court has convicted one-time film star Brigitte Bardot of provoking discrimination and racial hatred by writing that Muslims are destroying France.

The court has handed down a euro15,000 (US$23,325) fine Tuesday. It has also ordered Bardot to pay euro1,000 (US$1,555) in damages to two anti-racist groups.

Bardot's damaging remarks are contained in a December 2006 letter to Nicolas Sarkozy, then interior minister, and published in a review of the
Foundation Brigitte Bardot, which fights for animal welfare.

Bardot says in the letter that France is “tired of being led by the nose by this population that is destroying us, destroying our country by imposing its acts.” She is referring to the Muslim feast of Aid el-Kebir which is celebrated by slaughtering sheep.