Rising intolerance and anti-Semitism have reached the point when “it feels like Nazi Germany,” pop icon Madonna said, adding that France, in particular, no longer encourages diversity and freedom.
"We're living in crazy times. It feels like Nazi Germany," Madonna said in an interview to Europe 1 radio, adding that the situation in Europe is “scary.”
The 56-year-old singer also pointed that France has totally lost its tradition of welcoming diversity and honoring freedom, saying that "anti-Semitism is at an all-time high" in the country.
"It [France] was a country that embraced everyone and encouraged freedom in every way, shape or form – artistic expression of freedom… Now that's completely gone.”
The pop icon added that France was once a country “that accepted people of color, and was a place artists escaped to, whether it was Josephine Baker or Charlie Parker."
This is not the first time “Europe’s intolerance” has been denounced by the pop diva. In 2012 she criticized the rise of xenophobia and extreme-right parties.
"What I said two years ago is valid today," she said. "It's not just happening in France, it's all over Europe. But particularly in France. The level of intolerance is so enormous, it's scary."
Earlier Madonna described Marine Le Pen, the leader of France’s rightwing National Front, as “fascist.”
The argument between Madonna and Le Pen started in 2012 after the singer screened a video featuring the leader of France’s National Front with a swastika on her forehead. Le Pen threatened to sue Madonna and the swastika was eventually replaced with a question mark.
Madonna made headlines earlier this week when she fell off the stage during her performance at the 2015 Brit Awards.