Designer Galliano Found Guilty of Anti-Semitic Comments
Fashion designer John Galliano was found guilty on Thursday for making anti-Semitic comments in a Parisian bar. Galliano admitted at a one-day trial in June to spewing anti-Semitic comments such as, “I love Hitler” and calling bar patrons “dirty Jews.”
The designer apologized to the court for his behavior and said he is not a racist.
“They are not views that I hold or believe in. I apologize for the sadness this whole affair has caused,” Galliano told the court, as quoted by the BBC.
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The designer blamed his outburst on drug and alcohol addiction.
Galliano failed to appear in court Thursday to hear the verdict. He was charged with “public insults based on origin, religious affiliation, race or ethnicity,” which carries a maximum penalty of six months of jail and a $32,175 fine, reported the New York Times. Prosecutors did not request the jail sentence be enforced; instead, the court took into consideration Galliano’s apology and his decision to enroll in rehab for drug and alcohol abuse.
The former creative director was given suspended fines totaling $8,400, which means he does not have to pay the fines unless he is accused of repeating the same type of hate crime, reported the Times.
The court ordered Galliano to pay damages to his victims and five anti-racism groups who were also complainants in the case.
“Mr. Galliano is relieved. Relieved that these eight months are behind him. He is looking forward to a future with understanding and forgiveness, hopefully, and to put all of this behind him,” said a lawyer for the designer, as quoted by the BBC.
According to the BBC, the judges believed Galliano required professional help rather than punishment.
Perhaps Galliano’s greatest punishment came when Dior fired him as creative director after his arrest. Several fashion insiders and celebrities boycotted the Dior Fall-Winter 2011 at Paris Fashion Week. According to Reuters, the editor of a prominent U.S. fashion website said he would not attend the show.
Actress Natalie Portman chose to boycott Galliano despite having a contract with Dior for their Miss Cherie perfume campaign.
“I am deeply shocked and disgusted by the video of John Galliano’s comments that surfaced today. In light of this video, and as an individual who is proud to be Jewish, I will not be associated with Mr. Galliano in any way…” Portman said, as quoted by the Times.
