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- A right-wing TV host in France linked the Paris' bedbug outbreak to immigrants.
- Pascal Praud is under investigation by France's media watchdog.
- A government minister called Praud's comments on CNews, likened to Fox News, as "hate speech."
A right-wing pundit in France is under investigation by Arcom, the country's audiovisual regulator, for making "racist" comments about the current bedbug infestation in Paris, The Times reports.
Pascal Praud, a TV host on right-wing channel CNews, asked Nicolas Roux de Bezieux, the founder of a pest control firm, whether immigrants had caused the onslaught of bedbugs.
"There's a lot of immigration at the moment," Praud said on air. "These are people who don't have the same hygiene conditions who are now on French soil. Could it be linked to that?"
Roux de Bezieux rebuffed the controversial question, answering: "Absolutely not," per Euronews.
Paris is currently battling a major bedbug infestation, with reports of the bloodsucking pests being spotted in the French capital's movie theaters, trains, and at Charles-de-Gaulle Airport, at a time when France is hosting the Rugby World Cup and preparing to host the Paris 2024 Olympics.
Videos posted on social media appear to show the tiny insects crawling over seats on a commuter train and on the Paris metro.
On Friday, the education ministry said in a statement to Agence France-Presse that five schools with a total of 1,500 students had been closed.
Hate speech in the media
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CNews is France's second most-watched 24-hour news channel and it reportedly aligns with the views of Marine Le Pen's populist right-wing National Rally party, per The Times. It is considered the French equivalent of Fox News.
Politicians from far-left La France Insoumise and President Emmanuel Macron's centrist party filed a complaint with Arcom, deeming Praud's question racist.
Bérangère Couillard, Minister for Gender Equality and Fight Against Discrimination, called the question "shocking." She said: "I will never accept hate speech in the media," The Times reported.
David Belliard, Paris' Deputy Mayor, called the comments "stupid and racist," and added that CNews' views could be summarized in the clip.
Praud hosts a show that brings together experts and far-right speakers who often debate inflammatory topics such as immigration and Islam. The show, called "L'Heure des Pros," partly drove the network to its highest monthly viewership this September, Euronews reports.
Praud doubled down amid the backlash, addressing critics: "I was insulted, harassed, defamed for asking a simple question. Does a journalist need to justify himself for the questions he asks?" per Euronews. He called the fallout a "manhunt" and flipped the script, demanding that Arcom defends him.
This isn't the first time CNews has faced repercussions from Arcom. Last year, they became the first rolling news channel to be fined by the media regulator for inciting hatred and violence, per Euronews.
They were fined the equivalent of $210,000 after far-right politician and journalist Eric Zemmour made comments on asylum seekers and child migrants that were considered hate speech, per Euronews.
Bedbugs are small wingless insects, around 5 to 7 millimeters in length, that feed on the blood of humans and animals. Often found in bedding and furniture, they can easily travel on clothing and luggage. While they are not necessarily considered dangerous or spreaders of disease, their bites can cause itchy spots.
Minority groups have long been baselessly blamed by the far-right for being disease carriers.
In pre-war France, the antisemitic novelist Louis-Ferdinand Céline wrote a pamphlet in which he said "Yids are like bedbugs."