France's National Front Will Sue Madonna Over Nazi Imagery

'We cannot accept this insulting connection'

France's far-right National Front party will be filing a lawsuit against Madonna after the singer used Nazi imagery in association with a picture of its leader at her Paris concert on Saturday night, the Guardian reports.

The image of Marine Le Pen with a swastika superimposed over her face is part of a video montage projected during the MDNA tour to accompany the song "Nobody Knows Me." The montage also includes images of Chinese leader Hu Jintao, Pope Benedict XVI, Sarah Palin and (immediately following the photo of Le Pen) Adolf Hitler.

"We cannot accept this insulting connection," said Florian Phillippot, the National Front's vice president. "Marine Le Pen is defending her honour, but also that of party members and supporters and the millions of Front National voters."

Madonna first introduced the video montage during the MDNA tour's opening performance in Tel Aviv in May. Le Pen had responded at the time, saying "If she does that in France, we'll be waiting for her." The politician also added a note of derision: "It's understandable when aging singers who need publicity go to such extremes. Her songs don't work anymore."

Madonna has continued using the montage throughout her 30-nation tour, including at last night's performance at Paris' Stade de France.

A spokesman for the Le Pen said that the party will be filing a lawsuit for public insult in the Paris courts some time in the next few days.