History teacher Samuel Paty was killed on Friday in the western suburbs of Paris in Conflan-Sentonorin at the school where he worked.
The attacker was an 18-year-old Chechen born in Moscow who was shot by police and who later died from his injuries.
Eyewitnesses said he was seen at school on Friday, questioning students where Patija could be found.
Prior to the murder, the 47-year-old teacher, who had shown caricatures of the Muslim prophet Muhammad to students in an early freedom class in early October, was threatened by prosecutors.
Demonstrators’ slogans and posters today show solidarity with the murdered teacher and defend freedom of expression. Several people chanted “I am Samuel”, recalling the phrase “Je suis Charlie”, which was widely used in solidarity with the victims of the Islamic radical attack on the 2015 edition of the satire magazine “Charlie Hebdo” in Paris. The attack, provoked by the publication of cartoons by the Prophet Muhammad, killed 12 people.
Demonstrations are also planned today in Lyon, Toulouse, Strasbourg, Marseille, Lille, Nantes and Bordeaux.
Prior to the demonstrations, French Education Minister Jean-Michel Blanker called on “everyone to support teachers” and said in an interview with France 2 that it was now important to show solidarity and unity.
The demonstration in Paris was also attended by the Prime Minister of France Jean Castes and the Mayor of Paris Anna Idalgo.
To date, 11 people have been detained in connection with the murder, including the killer’s relatives and a student’s parents.
On Saturday, hundreds of students, parents, teachers and others laid flowers at the school where Paty worked.
