This article is more than 6 years old

This article is more than 6 years old

The French comedian Dieudonné M'Bala M'Bala, who has become notorious for vitriolic outbursts against Jews and use of the controversial quenelle – allegedly a quasi-Nazi salute – threatened legal action on Monday after officials banned his show.

The order against the celebrity, better known as Dieudonné, came shortly after France's interior minister, Manuel Valls, advised local authorities they were within their rights to cancel his performances as a potential threat to public order.

Valls sent a circular to municipal chiefs across the country entitled: The fight against racism and antisemitism – demonstrations and public meetings – Mr Dieudonné M'Bala M'Bala's shows.

In it, he wrote : "The fight against racism and antisemitism is a main concern for the government and demands energetic action."

He cited the comedian's show entitled Le Mur (the Wall), which begins a national tour from Thursday and which Valls said contained "antisemitic and defamatory" material that targeted "several celebrities of the Jewish confession" as well as "virulent and shocking attacks on the memory of Holocaust victims".

He added: "Respect for freedom of expression does not prevent, in exceptional circumstances … the banning of an activity if the measure is aimed only at preventing a breach of public order."

Alain Juppé, a former centre-right prime minister and mayor of Bordeaux, was the first to react, announcing a ban on Dieudonné's planned show in the city on 26 January.

Juppé told the newspaper Le Parisien: "I believe these conditions are met in Bordeaux and as a result I'm banning the show."

Dieudonné's lawyer said on Monday evening that he would contest in court any attempt to stop the performances.

The comedian has been fined several times for defamation, using insulting language, hate speech and racial discrimination. He has argued that the quenelle is an anti-establishment gesture.

However, after photographs of people, including police officers and firefighters, doing the salute near Jewish sites, synagogues and street signs, the anti-racism group SOS Racisme said it would sue anyone who distributed pictures that left no doubt as to the antisemitic nature of the gesture.

Nicolas Anelka, the West Bromwich Albion and France footballer, who is a friend of Dieudonné, faces disciplinary action for giving the quenelle after scoring against West Ham 10 days ago.

On Monday, Dieudonné was in a provocative mood. "It warms the heart to see support growing by the day!!!" he tweeted, signing off #quenelle.