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Tens of thousands of people gathered this Sunday in Paris, but also in other French cities to pay tribute to Samuel Paty, the history teacher who was beheaded on Friday in the Paris region, an Islamist attack that reopened old wounds, generating emotion and fear. , informs Agerpres.
In Paris, protesters, mostly wearing masks, gathered at the Place de la République, the epicenter of the great march on January 11, 2015 that drew around 1.5 million people after the Islamist attacks in Paris. Charlie hebdo and the Hyper Cacher store.
Holding signs saying “No to the totalitarianism of thought” or “Je suis prof” (an expression of solidarity enshrined in France after the Islamist attacks), the participants silently greeted the memory of the man killed by a fanatic after showing their students cartoons of the prophet Muhammad. . “Je suis Samuel”, “Freedom of speech, freedom of teaching,” the protesters chanted.
Several political figures from all walks of life were present: Prime Minister Jean Castex, the socialist mayor of the capital, Anne Hidalgo, the right-wing president of the Ile-de-France region (of which Paris is a part), Valérie Pécresse , the radical left leader, Jean-Luc Mélenchon. They were joined by former Socialist President François Hollande.
In the square that continued to fill with people, some waved tricolor flags, others waved signs that said “It is getting dark in the Land of Lights” or “I am Muslim, I am against violence, I am in favor of freedom of expression” .
Some participants carried banners with cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad, published by the satirical weekly. Charlie hebdo. The French national anthem was sung.
Similar meetings were held in other major cities, such as Lyon (east) and Lille (north).
A national tribute will be held on Wednesday, in coordination with the family of the murdered professor, the French presidency said, without specifying where the ceremony will take place.
Samuel Paty, a 47-year-old teacher, was beheaded Friday afternoon near the high school where he teaches, in a quiet area of Conflans-Sainte-Honorine, a western suburb of Paris. The killer, Abdoullakh Anzorov, a young refugee of Chechen origin, was shot dead by the police on the same day.
A total of 11 people were arrested and in preventive detention since Friday night, including relatives of the attacker, as well as a father who had a dispute with the teacher over the cartoons of the prophet Muhammad shown in class.
Editor: Luana Pavaluca
