Contentious comic Dieudonne will not perform in Montreal, in person or via web

MONTREAL – The first scheduled Montreal show of contentious French comic Dieudonne was cancelled Wednesday after he was prevented from entering the country and from performing through video conference.

Dieudonne M’bala M’bala, known as Dieudonne, landed in Montreal from France on Tuesday in advance of a series of sold-out shows. He was never let through customs and returned to Europe.

Dieudonne has been convicted of hate speech multiple times in Europe, most recently in France just a few hours before he touched down at Montreal’s Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport.

He had announced on his Facebook book page he would still perform his Wednesday evening show through video conference, telling his fans the venue would change from an art gallery to a hotel in the city’s downtown.

Hours later, however, the comic’s tour promoter, Gino Ste-Marie, told The Canadian Press the video conference event had also been cancelled after Mayor Denis Coderre put pressure on the venue.

Coderre has been an outspoken critic of the comic and blasted him on Twitter days before his scheduled arrival.

The hotel confirmed the event was cancelled but didn’t give details. The mayor’s office denied Coderre intervened.

Ste-Marie promised there would be another performance in the future “and it will be even better.”

Quebec Immigration Minister Kathleen Weil said she was relieved Dieudonne was not allowed to stay in Canada.

“I know people who have attended his shows, just to see, just to experience it, and it was very bothersome for them,” she said. “So, for social peace, it’s a very good thing he wasn’t able to enter. I am relieved.”