John Galliano: I love Hitler

VIDEO - Fashion designer John Galliano appeared Monday at a Paris police station to face accusations that he made illegal anti-Semitic slurs, his defense lawyer said, as a new video emerged of Galliano praising Adolf Hitler.

On Monday, a video posted on the Web site of British daily The Sun showed Galliano arguing with a couple at La Perle, a restaurant in the Marais district .

At one point in the video, starting in mid-conversation, a woman's voice asks Galliano, "Are you blond, with blue eyes?"

Galliano, speaking in slurred speech, replied: "No, but I love Hitler, and people like you would be dead today. Your mothers, your forefathers, would be ... gassed and ... dead."

It was unclear when the video was recorded, but in it, the designer was dressed differently than he was on Thursday, when he made an anti-Semitic insult at a Paris café.

The newspaper said neither of the people speaking with Galliano were Jewish.

The famed Gilbraltar-born designer was at the station to face off with a couple that has accused him of making an anti-Semitic insult during a spat Thursday at a trendy Paris cafe while he sat alone sipping a mojito.

French officials said a hospital test found that Galliano had 1.1 milligrams of alcohol per liter of blood — more than twice the legal limit to drive in France — after the incident.

Christian Dior has suspended Galliano, its creative director, pending an investigation, citing its "zero-tolerance" policy on anti-Semitism. The fashion house is scheduled to present its fall-winter 2011-2012 ready-to-wear show on Friday as part of Paris fashion week.

In the wake of media reports on the incident, another woman came forward Saturday to police accusing Galliano of similar anti-Semitic insults at her in October at the same restaurant — La Perle, in the Marais district.

The designer's lawyer, Stephane Zerbib, stuck to his comments to Associated Press Television News on Friday that Galliano "never made an anti-Semitic remark in more than 10 years at Dior."

Zerbib said then the designer has denied the couple's accusations, and has filed a countersuit against them for alleged defamation, threats and insults.

Portman 'shocked, disgusted'

Meanwhile, Hollywood actress and recent Oscar winner Natalie Portman condemned Galliano for his remarks. Portman, who has an endorsement contract with Dior where Galliano serves as chief designer, said Monday she was "deeply shocked and disgusted" by the video.

"In light of this video, and as an individual who is proud to be Jewish, I will not be associated with Mr. Galliano in any way. I hope at the very least, these terrible comments remind us to reflect and act upon combating these still-existing prejudices that are the opposite of all that is beautiful,” she said in a statement.

The actress was reportedly slated to wear a Dior gown to the Academy Awards Ceremony but ended up opting for a Rodarte design.

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