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JD Sports Manager Faces Prison for Alleged Racist Remarks to Employees in Belgium
Sunday 10 November 2019, by
Célia, the JD sports manager, is being prosecuted for making racist remarks towards employees, and faces up to one year in prison and a fine. As a prelude to her hearing, she was deprived of her liberty on Friday.
According to Catherine Collignon, the magistrate at the Liège Prosecutor’s Office, "this deprivation of liberty was the only legislative way to obtain the hearing quickly". Célia regained her freedom just after the interview.
Facing the judge, the now former JD Sports manager made her mea culpa but continues to trivialize her remarks. The young woman of Algerian origin explained that she had spoken in a humorous tone. For the prosecution, this tone in no way exonerates the suspect.
While the employees were supposed to go through the usual searches, Célia asked them to divide into three distinct groups: the "Arabs", the "gwères" and finally the "macaques". The video of the scene went viral on social media. As a result, two JD sports stores in Liège and Brussels were looted.