Home » World » Macron: ‘Samuel Paty was one of those teachers you will never forget’ | NOW

Macron: ‘Samuel Paty was one of those teachers you will never forget’ | NOW

In the French capital Paris, a national commemoration was held on Wednesday for the teacher Samuel Paty, who was stabbed and beheaded in an attack last week. French President Emmanuel Macron, among others, spoke on the occasion. He called Paty “one of those teachers you will never forget”. Macron praised the effort the “passionate” teacher put in to become even better for his students.

At 7.30 pm, Paty’s coffin was placed in the courtyard of the university. Then a number of people, including a friend of Paty’s, took the floor. Macron spoke last, after which a minute of silence was held in honor of the teacher.

Macron said in his speech that Paty was killed because he “embodied the French republic”. “He was killed because Islamists want our country, but with silent heroes like Paty they will never get it.”

A limited number of people could be admitted to the courtyard of the Sorbonne Université. On two squares near the university, Place du Panthéon and Place de la Sorbonne, large screens have been placed on which the ceremony is broadcast. In Moulins, the city where Paty grew up, such a screen has also been installed.

Earlier in the evening, a minute of silence was observed at the French embassy in The Hague in memory of Paty. About ten people had gathered at the embassy and deposited flowers there.




People watch the commemoration of Paty in the Place de la Sorbonne in Paris. (Photo: ANP)

Thousands of people already held a meeting for Paty on Sunday

Thousands of people already came to a meeting in Paris on Sunday in the Place de la République in honor of Paty. They had brought along signs with texts like “Je suis Samuel” (I am Samuel) and “Je suis prof” (I am a teacher).

The lyrics refer to the slogan “Je suis Charlie”, which was used after the attack on the satirical weekly. Charlie Hebdo in 2015. Twelve people were killed in this attack. The perpetrators committed the attack because the magazine had published caricatures of the prophet Mohammed.

Campaign of hatred against Paty for showing caricatures

47-year-old Paty was killed by an 18-year-old man of Chechen descent on his walk home from school last week. The attacker was shot by police officers. Eleven other suspects, including family members of the perpetrator, have been arrested.

There was a hate campaign against Paty, according to French authorities. The teacher had shown caricatures of the prophet Muhammad during a lesson on freedom of speech.

Perpetrator paid students to identify victim

The perpetrator had paid students at Paty’s school to appoint the teacher, the French terrorism prosecutor said Wednesday. He would have offered students 300 to 350 euros for information about the teacher.

The eighteen-year-old perpetrator is also said to have had prior contact with the father of one of Paty’s students. This father had called for Paty’s resignation on social media, because of stigmatizing Muslims.

Seven suspects had to come to court on Wednesday. Two of them were students of Paty’s. These students of fourteen and fifteen years old may have provided information to the perpetrator against payment.

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