Paris court to pass Galliano anti-Semitism verdict Thursday

A Paris judge is to rule on the fate of star fashion designer John Galliano on Thursday at the end of his trial for allegedly making anti-Semitic and anti-Asian comments.

AFP

Six months after Galliano was sacked as chief designer of Christian Dior, he will learn today whether he is to be fined or even imprisoned over the reported incidents last year.

When he took the stand at his trial in June, Galliano apologised for his conduct and insisted that he was not anti-Semitic.

He said he could not remember the evenings of the alleged behaviour on 8 October 2010 and 24 February 2001, blaming an addiction to acohol, painkillers and valium.

According to several witnesses, on those nights Galliano subjected fellow patrons of the La Perle café in Paris to foul-mouthed racist rants.

Video footage of a third incident, posted online, shows Galliano declaring "I love Hitler".

Paris prosecutor Anne de Fonette accepted during the trial that Galliano "does not subscribe ideologically to anti-Jewish or anti-Asian racist theories", but she added, "It is the everyday racism and anti-Semitism, that of carparks and supermarkets which is pitiful and appalling."

Galliano faces up to six months in jail and a fine of 22,500 euros if convicted, although prosecutors asked the judges to apply only a 10,000 fine.

Christian Dior fashion house has firmly distanced itself from John Galliano and has refused to comment on the case ahead of the verdict.

Galliano's lawyers say he will not attend today's hearing.