French mayor Robert Menard's recent statements to prevent the opening of new kebab shops in his town has received criticism and backlashed, as tens of thousands of citizens are planning to hold an 'International Kebab Festival' in Beziers.

In efforts to protest Menard's discriminatory and xenophobic remarks, over 35,000 Facebook users have accepted the invitation sent by a French man by the name of Baptiste Fluzin, who was planning to have a barbeque party on May 5, 2016 but changed his mind and decided to call it the kebab festival in response to Bezier's mayor Menard's pledge to 'not allow the opening of new kebab shops' in his town.

Robert Menard, who is known for his Islamophobic stance as mayor of the southern French town of Beziers, spoke out against kebab restaurants and said there were "way too many immigrants and kebab restaurants" in the country. He said that he would not give permission for more kebab restaurants to be opened in Beziers.

After receiving criticism on social media, Menard said: "I will not let Beziers become a kebab capital," and added that kebabs are not part of French culture.

Menard had also drawn criticism for insulting reporters and told Syrian refugees to leave, accusing them of stealing water and electricity in his town.