Paris – Jewish groups are welcoming the move by a famous Paris restaurant to suspend staff members who were recently photographed making a notorious antisemitic gesture.
The incident in question, detailed in a Haaretz report, occurred at Le Train Bleu, located in the French capital’s Gare de Lyon train station.
The controversy arose after a picture began circulating on social media of Le Train Bleu employees smiling as they engaged in a “quenelle” salute – which was created and popularized by the antisemitic French comedian Dieudonné M’bala M’bala.
Shortly after the scandal erupted, the company that owns Le Train Bleu issued a condemnation and announced the suspension of the involved staff members until an investigation was completed.
On Wednesday, the World Jewish Congress — joined by the Representative Council of French Jewish Institutions (CRIF) — expressed “appreciation” for the restaurant’s action.
