Bailiff claims that Dieudonné M’Bala M’Bala, whose offensive gesture was copied by Nicolas Anelka, fired rubber projectile at him

The French comedian Dieudonné M’Bala M’Bala, whose shows were banned for their racist and antisemitic jokes, was questioned by police for several hours on Wednesday, accused of attacking a bailiff.

The victim told police the controversial comic fired a rubber projectile at him after he and a colleague arrived to serve a writ.

Detectives later searched the comedian’s home and are said to have found a “Flash-ball” type gun – sometimes used by French police – that fires rubber balls.

The alleged attack happened at 8pm on Monday, when two bailiffs arrived at the home the comedian shares with his wife and manager, Noëmie Montagne, with “several writs for payments”, the prosecutor, Patrice Ollivier-Maurel, said.

According to one of the bailiffs, who claims he “formally identified” Dieudonné at the property and that the comedian had “not replied to his calls”, Montagne asked them to leave and they were not able to enter the property or serve the writs. As they left the couple’s home, one of the bailiffs claims he was the target of a projectile. Both Dieudonné and his wife have denied shooting at the man.

Montagne was also questioned by police on Tuesday evening and released. Her husband was questioned later on Tuesday evening and again on Wednesday.

Montagne’s lawyer, Isabelle Coutant-Peyre, accused France’s interior minister, Manuel Valls, who has spearheaded a clampdown against Dieudonné, of “fabricating provocations as part of his personal war” against the comic.

Montagne told Europe 1 radio there had been “no aggression” towards the bailiffs. Dieudonné also denied the attack and said he was not home at the time. He has lodged a legal complaint for “violation of his domicile”.

If the controversy over his shows has died down since Dieudonné agreed to drop the most offensive material, The comedian’s legal worries continue elsewhere. A preliminary inquiry has been opened into an alleged illegal appeal by Dieudonné for public donations to reportedly pay fines for convictions for racism and anti-semitism.

Legal sources told journalists the comedian has a total of €65,290 of fines outstanding, of which €37,000 have been definitively upheld by the courts.

He is also at the heart of a second preliminary inquiry by the Paris prosecutor’s office over claims of “fraudulent organisation of bankruptcy”, “money laundering” and “misuse of company property”.

At the end of December, the Paris prosecutor’s office also opened an inquiry into allegations that he “incited racial hatred” after he made anti-semitic remarks about radio presenter Patrick Cohen.

Dieudonné has also come under attack over his “quenelle” gesture – described as a reverse Nazi salute – which caused a backlash in Britain when imitated by French footballer Nicolas Anelka during a Premier League match in December. The comic has denied all charges, insists the “quenelle” is an “anti-establishment” gesture, and has threatened to sue detractors for defamation.

Amnesty International has expressed concern over the use of the Flash-ball by the French police, saying it has been the cause of “several serious accidents”.

• France
• Race issues
• Nicolas Anelka
• Europe

Kim Willsher

theguardian.com