French mayor taken to court for Muslim remark

A criminal investigation is launched at a Paris court against the mayor of the French city of Beziers Robert Menard on charges of inciting hatred and discrimination against religious minorities, reports RIA Novosti citing Agence France-Presse.

"Far-right French mayor Robert Menard will be tried on charges of hate for the remark, in which he called a "problem" the number of Muslim students in one of the schools of his city," — reports the Agency the words of the source in court.

The scandal emerged after the politician said: "In one of the schools, located in the center of my city, 91 percent of students are Muslims. This is obviously a problem.
Tolerance should have limits". This September he also expressed regret that the white Christian population of the country was being replaced by foreign Muslims.

The mayor says he did not admit his guilt. "I just described the situation in my city. It's not a value judgment but a fact. This is what I can see," he told the Agency.

The first hearing is scheduled for March 8, 2017.