FRANCE: The Paris high court banned a website belonging to the extreme right-wing movement Unité radicale (UR) yesterday. But the group, one of whose members tried to assassinate President Jacques Chirac on July 14th, moved its 3,000 pages of white supremacist propaganda to another Internet address within minutes, writes Lara Marlowe.
Neither the legal dissolution of UR on August 6th nor yesterday's attempt to silence the group had any effect. On the contrary, the government decree outlawing the neo-nazi group gave it "a big boost", its outgoing website, www.unite-radical.com, boasted. The site's organisers claim its monthly audience has increased from 40,000 to 100,000 since Mr Jean-Marie Le Pen shocked Europe by winning a place in the presidential run-off on April 21st.
The Union of Jewish Students of France (UEJF) and J'accuse, two groups which filed the complaint that led to the court order to shut down the website, said they were pleased with the judge's decision and would ensure it was carried out.
But French authorities have no power over Internet servers outside the country. Communications technology makes a mockery of the Gayssot Law, which forbids the expression of racist, anti-Semitic or negationist ideas in France.
UR's website yesterday instructed readers to move to www.dissolution-ur.com. "In France, a country of democratic dictatorship, associations thrive which hunt down militants for identity, who are struggling against immigration and racial interbreeding," the new site's editorial said, calling the UEJF and anti-racist groups "leagues of intolerance".
The new Internet address still boasts an "Open Letter to Maxime Brunerie" thanking the 24-year-old UR militant for firing a rifle at Mr Chirac. The website has solicited cheques for Mr Brunerie's support. The would-be killer was formally placed under investigation for attempted assassination on August 2nd and moved from a psychiatric hospital to a special ward in Paris's La Santé prison.
Mr Stéphane Lilti, a lawyer for the UEJF, called the website "a sort of neo-nazi wire agency". It recounts offences "committed by the 'enemies' of Unité radicale: Arabs, blacks and Jews."
The "kollabos" section called the Prime Minister, Mr Jean-Pierre Raffarin, a "collaborator" because last month he attended a commemoration for Jews deported by the French to Nazi death camps.
Mr Le Pen condemned this week's banning of UR.