British comedian Dawn French faces backlash over October 7 video, apologises to fans
IN LONDON
Dawn French has apologised 'unreservedly' after posting a since-deleted video about the ongoing conflict in Gaza, admitting it was done 'clumsily'.
The British actress and comedian, 67, faced backlash after sharing her thoughts on the Hamas terrorist attack on October 7, 2023, and was accused of belittling the horror of the event which triggered the war when she described the murder of 1,200 people as a 'bad thing'.
In the 40-second video, French attempted to critique supporters of Israel's ongoing military action in Gaza, saying in an exaggerated tone that the situation is 'complicated, no, but nuanced. But [the] bottom line is no.
'Yeah, but you know they did a bad thing to us … and we want that land … and we have history … Those people aren't really even people, are they?' she continued, ending each statement with 'no'.
The video was originally posted on Thursday but was taken down by Saturday, with the star releasing an apology statement.
'OK, it's important to address this. I posted a video in the style I've been using for social media in an effort to convey an important point. I clumsily used a mocking tone,' French said.
'My intention was NEVER to mock, or dismiss, or diminish the horror of what happened on Oct 7 2023 and what continues to unfold from that brutal, unthinkable, unforgivable, savage attack.'
The Vicar of Dibley star insisted her intention had been 'to mock and point the finger of shame at the behaviour of the cruel leaders on all sides of this atrocious war'.
She added: 'THEY were my target, but clearly I failed to do that, and that's on me. I apologise unreservedly, and I'm particularly sorry that my disgust at Hamas didn't figure. It appeared one-sided and that is wrong.'
French also said her 'heart broke' for all the innocent people who were 'killed, tortured, [raped] and kidnapped', and that she'd been 'feeling increasingly helpless and hopeless' witnessing the 'carnage and destruction worsen', especially with the images of 'starving children'.
'History has taught us never to stand by and allow this kind of inhumane violence to be wrought on anyone, especially innocent children,' she wrote.
'I have felt my silence is complicit or even somehow sanctioning. So in my small way, I wanted to voice my desire to say NO – to both sides – to any further violence.
'I hope you will understand my intention was not to offend, but clearly I have. For which I am sorry and I have removed the video.'
English actress Tracy-Ann Oberman was one of the high-profile voices who spoke out against French's post, describing herself as 'saddened' by it.
'This mocking voice 'bad thing' of October 7 that Dawn (who I revere by the way) appears ro [sic] be mocking involved the most horrific terrorist attack,' she wrote on social media.
Meanwhile, comedy writer Lee Kern also called out the actress for her 'sneering' tone.
'What you sneeringly mock as a 'bad thing' included the grieving children I met in hospital whose friends and family had been murdered, kidnapped and raped and who themselves were coming to terms with their own life-altering injuries,' he wrote.
'It also includes the 1,200 people murdered and tortured on October 7 … You proactively broadcast – with misplaced pride – a wicked glee in your mockery and dismissal of Jewish suffering, pain and death.'
Approximately 1,200 people were killed and about 250 taken hostage during the Hamas-led attack on October 23, 2023, to which Israel responded with a large-scale ground offensive in Gaza.
The Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza has stated that more than 50,000 people have been killed as a result, many of whom are reportedly women and children.
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