John Galliano, the disgraced, and now ex-House of Dior designer, has just broken his silence in relation to recent claims of drunken anti-Semitism in a Paris-located bar. The Gibraltar-born designer, who had been at the helm of the high fashion label since 1996, is accused of making anti-Semitic remarks, and of generally being a tool. As well as this, a recent video of him has emerged doing pretty much exactly what he’s been accused of lately, adding further fuel to the fire. He is reportedly headed to rehab in Arizona at the time of going to press.
Read his full statement, released through British entertainment lawyers Harbottle & Lewis:
“Since the events of last Thursday evening I have not been able to make any public comment on what took place based upon advice from my French lawyer. However, given the continuing delays at the French Prosecutor’s Office I should make my position clear.
I completely deny the claims made against me and have fully co-operated with the Police investigation.
A number of independent witnesses have given evidence and have told the Police that I was subjected to verbal harassment and an unprovoked assault when an individual tried to hit me with a chair having taken violent exception to my look and my clothing. For these reasons I have commenced proceedings for defamation and the threats made against me.
However, I fully accept that the accusations made against me have greatly shocked and upset people.
I must take responsibility for the circumstances in which I found myself and for allowing myself to be seen to be behaving in the worst possible light. I only have myself to blame and I know that I must face up to my own failures and that I must work hard to gain people’s understanding and compassion. To start this process I am seeking help and all I can hope for in time is to address the personal failure which led to these circumstances and try and earn people’s forgiveness.
I have fought my entire life against prejudice, intolerance and discrimination having been subjected to it myself. In all my work my inspiration has been to unite people of every race, creed, religion and sexuality by celebrating their cultural and ethnic diversity through fashion. That remains my guiding light.
Anti-Semitism and racism have no part in our society. I unreservedly apologise for my behaviour in causing any offence.”
View the shocking, venom and oft hate-filled video of an eerily similar earlier occurance of anti-Jewish hatred here.
This was originally published on March 2, 2011.
Image: Google Images
April Barry 