France expels ‘radical’ Tunisian imam for flag slur

France has expelled a Tunisian imam accused of insulting the French flag during a sermon in Marseille, the interior ministry said on Tuesday.

The imam, who has not been named, was deported on Monday under a 2018 law that allows the expulsion of foreigners who pose a threat to public order.

“Our republic will not tolerate hatred nor bellicose remarks against it and its symbols, especially the Tricolor flag,” Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin said in a statement.

The imam’s comments were reportedly made during a sermon at the Tawba mosque in Marseille on September 13.

France has been cracking down on Islamist extremism following a series of terror attacks in recent years. President Emmanuel Macron has also called for a “restructuring” of Islam in France to combat radicalization.

The expulsion of the Tunisian imam is the latest in a series of measures taken by the French government to combat extremism and promote secularism in the country.