Kemi Seba, head of the French branch of the New Black Panther Party, was detained yesterday after a public appearance at the Main d'Or theatre in the French capital, the source said.
A magistrate then ordered his incarceration today because Kemi Seba, whose real name is Stellio Capo Chichi, was wanted for having violated the terms of a 2009 suspended sentence for violence.
He has been living in Senegal and had told followers he would tour France to promote his recent book. The theatre where he had appeared is used by the controversial comedian known as Dieudonne, who has been repeatedly convicted of anti-Semitism.
Two groups that he founded -- Tribu K and later Jeunesse Kemi Saba -- were dissolved by the French justice ministry for inciting "racist and anti-Semitic" ideology.
In October 2012 he was expelled from Switzerland for fear he would incite violence.