Outrage in France as magazine shows black lawmaker Danielle Obono as a slave in chains

French President Emmanuel Macron led nationwide outrage on Saturday after an ultra-conservative magazine portrayed a black politician as a slave.

Prime Minister Jean Castex described the photo as “revolting” and told Obono that she had the government’s backing. “I share the indignation of lawmaker Obono,” he added.

“One is free to write a putrid novel within the limits fixed by the law. One is free to hate it. I hate it,” said Justice Minister Eric Dupond-Moretti.

Ms Obono tweeted: “The extreme right – odious, stupid and cruel. In brief, like itself.”

The anti-racism body SOS Racisme deplored rising hate speech against African and Arab politicians and said it was considering what legal measures could be taken to counter this.

The magazine however denied it was racist, saying the story concerning Ms Obono was “a work of fiction… but never nasty”.

The French magazine Valeurs Actuelles has apologized for running a photo of Danielle Obono, a Black member of the French parliament, as a chained slave.