Galliano denies racism claim

Fashion designer John Galliano denied accusations of racism when he faced his accusers at a Paris police station.

A couple claimed he made anti-Semitic slurs – illegal in France – after a video emerged of him praising Adolf Hitler.

Yesterday’s hearing was closed to the public, but a police officer said of Galliano: “He denied all the accusations against him.”

Also giving evidence were Galliano’s chauffeur and an employee of The Perle, the trendy cafe in Paris where the insults were allegedly made, but both reported they did not hear any anti-Semitic or racist remarks.

Christian Dior has suspended Galliano, its creative director, pending an investigation, citing its “zero-tolerance” policy on anti-Semitism. The fashion house is scheduled to present its autumn-winter 2011/12 ready-to-wear show on Friday as part of Paris fashion week.

The Paris prosecutor’s office is expected to decide, possibly today, what follow-up there may be.

French officials said a hospital test showed Galliano had 1.1 milligrams of alcohol per litre of blood, more than twice the legal limit to drive in France, after the incident last Thursday.

The long-haired Gibraltar-born designer, wearing a wide-brimmed black hat, made no comment to reporters as he entered and left the police station.

During yesterday’s hearing, a 47-year-old woman also gave evidence. She filed a complaint against Galliano on Saturday claiming that she was insulted in a similar fashion by the designer at The Perle about four months ago.

Galliano’s lawyer, Stephane Zerbib, was dismissive of this accuser.

“We’re surprised by this new complaint which exactly resembles the first ones. It’s not by chance,” Mr Zerbib said. “It’s surprising that this person had not shown herself since October.”

A video posted on The Sun’s website showed Galliano arguing with a couple at La Perle. It was unclear when the video was recorded, but in it, he was dressed differently than on Thursday.

At one point in the video, starting in mid-conversation, a woman’s voice asks Galliano: “Are you blond, with blue eyes?”

Galliano, slurring his speech, replied: “No, but I love Hitler, and people like you would be dead today. Your mothers, your forefathers, would be ... gassed and ... dead.”

The newspaper said neither of the people speaking to Galliano were Jewish.

Mr Zerbib said he did not know when the video was filmed, and “there’s no comment on that. What matters isn’t what’s on the internet, what matters are the testimonies and the hearings. What’s on the internet doesn’t have much value.”

Making anti-Semitic remarks can bring up to six months in prison. Some public figures have been convicted on such charges in the past, but are usually given only suspended sentences.

The lawyer did not veer from comments made on Friday that Galliano “never made an anti-Semitic remark in more than 10 years at Dior”.

Mr Zerbib said the designer has filed a countersuit against the couple for alleged defamation, threats and insults.