Madonna’s Compromise

Madonna ended her European tour by making a bit of a compromise.

A video montage that previously showed the image of a swastika on the forehead of National Front leader Marine Le Pen instead displayed a question mark on the French right-wing politician’s face.

The Aug. 21 show in Nice was Madonna’s third stop in France during the past six weeks. She also took the stage in Paris July 14 and July 26.

Once news got out that Madonna had used the video montage during a performance of the tune “Nobody Knows Me” on the May 31 stop of her MDNA Tour in Israel, Le Pen warned Madonna to change the graphics.

“If she does that in France, we’ll be waiting for her,” Le Pen said, according to the Guardian.

When Madonna again showed the video montage during her July 14 show in Paris, National Front said it planned to sue the singer for “insults.”

The swastika image was especially controversial to National Front because Le Pen has tried to change the party’s image of being racist and anti-Semitic. Her father, the founder of the party, was fined in 2005 for defending the Nazi occupation of France during World War II, according to the New York Times.

The montage also featured Madonna’s face with Adolf Hitler’s mustache and pictures of Pope Benedict, Chinese President Hu Jintao and former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin.

Agence France-Presse reported Madonna swapped the swastika for a question mark at the Aug. 21 show. The news agency quoted a local party supporter, Gael Nofri, saying, “As far as I know, Madonna has never changed a video clip. This is proof that our arguments were valid. This is excellent news.”

Madonna is still showing her support for the members of Russian punk rock band Pussy Riot, who have been sentenced to two years in jail for performing a “punk prayer” against Russian President Vladimir Putin in a Moscow cathedral.

“Free Pussy Riot!” Madonna said, according to AFP. She added, “The real deal is freedom and not just for Pussy Riot.”