The trimester March to May 2011 saw more than 100 acts (40% of the total). These "over-­‐ active" periods of islamophobia tend to follow periods when islamophobic themes have been particularly present in public debate and in the national media. Notably, the National Education Minister, Luc Chatel, gave a speech on the 2nd March 2011 validating the acts of a Mrs. Palacio, the Headteacher of Joséphine Baker school who refused to allow veiled mothers to accompany their children on school trips. We also note the "debate on Islam and secularism" launched by the UMP in April. Further, on 11 April 2011 the law of 11 October 2010 forbidding the covering of the face in public came into effect, commonly known as the law against the burqa. There were also certains slip-­‐ups made by the Interior Minister, Claude Guéant, in April 2011 - he spoke on LCI TV about "the growing number of practising Muslims", with "a certain number of behaviours which pose a problem". The "Quick Halal" affair also contributed to the reinforcement of this islamophobic dynamic.

When you talk about "such campaigns", I assumed naïvely that it was on the topic of our discussion, i.e. publications concerning Mohamed in Charlie Hebdo. I see now that you somehow thought I was defending the islamophobic provocations of Sarkozy's government. That must have been very distressing to you, but I really don't see how you got that idea.

_{It is rightly acknowledged that people of faith have no monopoly of virtue - Queen Elizabeth II}