A French rapper has been found guilty of incitement to violence over a music video titled "Hang White People".
Nick Conrad was a relative unknown to French music fans until he released the controversial video last year, which called for white babies to be killed.
The self-produced rapper is shown in the video acting out the kidnap, torture and hanging of a white man, which he said was a comment on racism.
One section included the lyrics: "I go to the nurseries, I kill the white babies/ Catch them quick and hang their parents!"
The nine-minute video was quickly suspended from YouTube for violating its terms of service.
Conrad denied allegations of racism towards white people, and claimed the video was a fictional depiction of racism designed to shock by reversing roles.
The court said in its judgement that if "the permissible limits of freedom of expression are assessed with greater flexibility" when it comes to rap, "the freedom of artistic creation is, however, not absolute".
Conrad has been given a suspended 5,000 euro (£4,280) fine and has been ordered to pay 1,000 euros in damages to each of the two anti-racism associations that brought the case.
The charge against him could have resulted in a five year prison sentence, but prosecutors said he "had already to a certain extent paid the consequences", having lost his job as a hotel receptionist.
Additional reporting by AFP
