2 hope to repeal French anti-insult law

PARIS, July 26 (UPI) -- A French publisher fined for calling a police officer a "connard" has founded a group aimed at repeal of the law against insulting public employees.

Jean-Jacques Reboux of Paris is working with Romain Dunand, who was fined for sending an e-mail to President Nicolas Sarkozy comparing his immigration policies to those of the World War II Vichy regime, The Times of London reported. Their organization, Association for the Decriminalization of the Offense of Outrage, hopes to get rid of a law that dates back to the Napoleonic era.

Reboux was fined 150 euros ($235) for telling a police officer he was a connard, which roughly translates as "stupid bastard," while Dunand had to pay 800 euros ($1,255) for "insulting the head of state."

The two have company in their cause. A homeless man was jailed for a month for calling Sarkozy a "bloody Hungarian." Gerard Depardieu, one of the country's best known actors, was ordered to pay 3,500 euros ($5,485) for calling three workplace inspectors "jokers."