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French Nazi-era barb sparks row

A French minister has criticised a film maker for likening his government to France's Nazi-backed Vichy regime over its treatment of illegal migrants.

Immigration Minister Eric Besson said the comparison was "intolerable", and that Director Philippe Lioret had "crossed the line".

Mr Lioret made the comparison about a law making it a crime to help illegal immigrants, which he called "crazy".

In the last five years, UK officials have stopped more than 88,500 attempts from people trying to get into the UK illegally, according to the UK Border Agency. Of those, 61,000 were at Calais alone.

More than 75,000 Jews were arrested in France during World War II. Most died in concentration camps such as Auschwitz. Those caught harbouring Jews faced a similar fate.

Read entire article at BBC